EVERGREEN AT
THE BRICK WORKS
MASTER PLAN

Evergreen at the Brick Works Master Plan—The century-old Don Valley Brick Works is an extraordinary piece of architectural heritage located on a unique ravine site in the heart of downtown Toronto. planningAlliance was commissioned by Evergreen — a national environmental organization – to develop a blueprint for transforming the Brick Works into an environmental education centre and ‘laboratory’ for urban sustainability.

planningAlliance’s plan revolved around the themes of Nature, Culture and Community and included a dynamic multi-faceted program, a sustainable architectural plan, and nature conservancy and interpretive strategies. A site access and circulation plan re-connects the Brick Works with its ravine setting and with surrounding residential areas.

A heritage impact statement identifies landmark and heritage features for preservation, and a landscape plan extends ecological habitats from the Valley onto the site. A carefully considered business plan ensures that Evergreen at the Brick Works is as economically sustainable as it is “green.”

Evergreen at the Brick Works offers an important lesson in adaptive reuse to policy makers throughout North America. In 2006, the Plan received the Canadian Urban Institute’s “Brownie” Award for best adaptive use of a heritage brownfields site.

EVERGREEN
TORONTO, CANADA
2006
16.4 hectares