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Berczy Park

The playful fountain and long benches enhance the Old Town context, inviting spontaneous exchange between strangers.

The revitalization of this small iconic park on the threshold between the Financial District and the Old Town needed to adapt to a rapidly evolving community with diverse needs that were not addressed in the original version of Berczy Park.

In an effort to make this small park feel big, diagonal pathways mark the longest routes, the plaza is stretched to accommodate a curbside double elm promenade, and curbs are removed on Scott St for a seamless pedestrian privilege.

As a tier 1 park, new developments are not permitted to cast shadow within designated timeframes and seasons. The south facing plaza therefore will remain a sun-filled space with a picturesque panorama of old and new Toronto.

The tabla rasa that preceded Berczy Park has gradually evolved into a park that addressed the community needs of the district. Rapid residential intensification required a park renewal to address new and emerging community needs.

Recent developments have resulted in a demographic where there are now over 400 children and 1500 daily dog visits to the park coming from within a 2 block radius of Berczy park. This park needed to be more than just a Toronto postcard.

The trompe l'oeil of the mural is reinforced by the stretched diamond paver motif, the fountain statues, the long diagonal paths, and the emphasis on the remaining Old Town facade, making for an experience that is bigger than its parts.

A unified diversity of surface and seating provide myriad opportunities for visitors to define their comfort. Devices such as continuous benches and undulating lawns relax personal space, with the fountain providing a focus of triangulation.

Perspective views transform the stretched diamond granite motif into a skewed checkerboard, a visual accomplice to the real versus fake intentions of the Derek Besant mural and the dog fountain statues with their leashed canine visitors.

Lighting is designed to illuminate the park fringe and pathways. The light levels at the centre of the plaza are dimmed to emphasize the intensity of the fountain at night. Lights are positioned under each jet to emphasize the arcs of water.

The fountain is detailed with the accoutrements of dog culture - a golden bone, studded dog collars around the tiers, pug-face gargoyles to drain the bowls, and a dog bowl shaped basin. A cat breaks the rules, looking at 2 perched birds.

Robinson Iron is the specialized foundry that custom built the fountain and fabricated the molds and casts for the dog sculptures. CC+A translated dog figurines into the construction drawings, rescaled to be life-size and painted to match.

Night view of the illuminated fountain from the convergence of the granite plaza and the precast concrete pathways.

The public response has shown a remarkable appreciation for detail a Berczy Park. Noteworthy is the response especially among children who are usually the first to notice the cat looking at the birds, or the specific types of dogs.

Construction challenges included remotely coordinating details with the foundry for a smooth site installation, and placing soil cells into the web of underground utilities to create an interconnected soil volume of at least 25m3/tree.

The elevated Mural Garden behind the Flatiron Building provides a gravel surface where locals can discretely relieve their pets before entering the rest of the park, keeping lawns and other park surfaces clean and inviting for other park visitors.

Scott St lane widths were reduced and curbs eliminated to create a pedestrian-oriented surface flush with the park. The street was regraded to divert runoff towards a single linear drain, and Silva Cells installed for large sidewalk trees.

Public appropriation of Berczy Park has been phenomenal. The park has become a destination that inspires expression, through photos, drawing and painting, even baking. The park has become one of the City's most photographed spots.

Working around original park features included preserving this large Japanese Pagoda tree. Seating and program are hosted on raised platforms, including this one with a Silva Cell bridge to direct roots into the soils of the opposite lawn.

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2018 National Award | Small-Scale Public Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect (up to 1 ha)

Berczy Park

Claude Cormier et Associes

The revitalization of this small iconic park needed to adapt to a rapidly evolving community with diverse needs. Three fractions (green space for play, garden for dogs and plaza for public) cohere through a common denominator – the playful Dog Fountain – an active and aesthetically charged landmark which transforms contention into consensus.

CSLA | AAPC 12 Forillon Crescent, Ottawa ON K2M 2W5

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