Great neighbourhoods need great pedestrian experiences. Yorkville thrives on its tightly knit network of streets and alleyways filled with cafés, restaurants, luxury boutiques and hotels. But over time Yorkville Lane had lost its appeal. The low-ceilinged walkway, dim lighting, heavily-mullioned storefronts and dark canopied entrances created an increasingly claustrophobic environment that drove away tenants, shoppers, and pedestrians, pushing retail vacancy rates higher each year.

Our design strategy focused on light, transparency, and movement. Working with Bruce Mau Design, we developed a new storefront glazing and signage strategy that reduces visual clutter and view obstructions, bringing greater prominence to retail interiors. We demolished and replaced glazing along Cumberland Street and the northwest corner of the courtyard, adding new canopies and restoring the original ground floor brick exterior.