ERA is thrilled to announce the Gordonridge Community Multi-Sport Court has won a Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) National Award of Excellence in the Residential Landscapes category.
This unique community-led project is located at the heart of the Gordonridge Toronto Community Housing campus in Scarborough. The new court brings residents of all ages and abilities together in a dynamic landscape intervention which includes a running track, basketball courts, skatepark, parkour, pickleball, volleyball and table tennis, as well as a central garden. Through integration of the court with the adjacent topiary, community gardens and orchards, it has become a nexus of neighbourhood activity.
ERA collaborated with the Gordonridge community for over a year, with the outcome being a design that reflects its values, interests and identity. As co-designers, residents were integrally involved in the process from the early ideation stages through construction. The impact of the court on residents has been transformative, giving the Gordonridge community a dynamic place to play, gather, garden and exercise at the heart of their neighbourhood. Read more about the community design process.
Jury Comments:
An unusual project that activates a kind of landscape – the space between suburban apartment towers – that is often neglected. The painted pattern is crisp and striking without being too visually powerful; it adds a playful sense to the space while providing a tableau to be seen and enjoyed from the apartments above. This project is a remarkable blend of community engagement, empathetic approach, and skillful design with modest means. The project has been significantly informed by the close relationship the designers have developed with the community through dialogue, social events, collaborative design, and the testing of ideas before the final design. As a result of the process, the design is careful to support interpersonal and intergenerational connections. In this respect it captures an important goal of the profession, connecting people with their surroundings and community in a sustainable and sensible way.
Congratulations to the Gordonridge community, Toronto Community Housing, MLSE Foundation and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities on this recognition!
For more on this award and other awardees, visit CSLA.
