BDP Wins New Town In Toronto

BDP has won its first project in Canada, the competition to design a sustainable new community for 70,000 people in Seaton, Toronto. The community is intended to create 35,000 jobs based around green industries and investment as well as new energy technologies and solutions. Over the next 20 years, Seaton is expected to develop as the leading sustainable community in Ontario.

The site of 3000 hectares sits above Lake Ontario in rolling agricultural land and is part of the watershed ecology of the hinterland north of the lake. River gorges and watercourses thread through the south sloping site fostering water bodies, deciduous woodlands, and working farms. The masterplan protects these areas of natural beauty, promulgating a community that sits within the ecology pattern. 15 neighbourhoods are integrated within the natural settings, underpinning its eco-system, creating recreation, outdoor learning, and agriculture that can benefit the new community.

The plan includes for all the facilities of a new settlement promoting sustainable means of transport within the town and metropolitan transit links with neighbouring parts of Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

The masterplan is expected to be complete by April 2010 with the initial neighbourhoods starting on site in 2011.

The project is being proposed by the major land holder the Provincial Government, with clients the Ontario Realty Corporation and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. Five of Canada's major developers will develop the neighbourhood structure, and all their facilities in conjunction with government agencies including the local regional councils.

Tony McGuirk, BDP Chairman says: “The project is a very progressive step by the Ontario Government with high aspirations for an exemplar community in every aspect. Modern generations have failed to connect our man-made environments with the natural world, physically, technologically and philosophically. In the New Town at Seaton we have, as designers, a wonderful opportunity to interlink nature and living for future generations and create an exemplar community to reflect our new found sensibilities to people and place.”

BDP was the only European practice in the last five of the competition. Its success was largely due to close collaboration with its Canadian team R. E. Millward & Associates:  Planners, N. Barry Lyon Consultants: Marketing & Economist, Counterpoint Engineering: Civil Engineers, Centre 4 Spatial Economics: Demographer & BA Consulting Group: Transport & Transportation Engineer. BDP’s commission is for , , and .