By Robin MacLennan
Ontario Construction Report staff writer
COWI, an international engineering consulting group, has reached the half-way mark of the design of two new subway stations for Ontario Line at King/Bathurst and Queen/Spadina in Toronto and will shortly move on to the construction documentation phase.
Scandinavian architecture firm, Arkitema, a part of COWI Group, supported COWI’s North American team with its knowledge of design excellence, metro station design and passenger experience. When designing the stations Arkitema “has taken a holistic approach to create clean, sleek contemporary layouts with meticulous attention to detail, aesthetics and a welcoming atmosphere”.
Both projects will move to the construction documentation phase.
“This is an exciting project for our North American team. With the Ontario Line, the balance has been to translate the project requirements into the quality that we prioritize over in Denmark: simple, rational, and aesthetic solutions with inviting, open, and friendly spaces, creating simple, intuitive pathways. Our goal was to create modern layouts with a strong focus on enhancing the passenger experience,” said Thomas Dahlgren, president, COWI North America.
Scandinavian architecture firm, Arkitema, with COWI Group, supported the North American team with its design experience, metro station design and passenger experience.
Designs took “a holistic approach” to create clean, sleek contemporary layouts with meticulous attention to detail, aesthetics and a welcoming atmosphere.
COWI was awarded the design and engineering contract for its first major subway project in late 2021 by Ontario Transit Group, a joint venture between Ferrovial Construction and Vinci Construction. The team is responsible for the detailed design of two new underground stations – King/Bathurst and Queen/Spadina, located in downtown Toronto. The new stations will be situated within a 10-minute walking distance for around 50,000 local residents and will create vital connections between popular transport routes.
The Ontario Line will span 15.6 kilometres and is the largest single expansion in Toronto’s subway history – connecting Exhibition Place to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT at Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue East, with 15 fully accessible stations and more than 40 new connections to GO train lines and existing subway, streetcar, and bus lines. It will run along the existing rail corridor in Riverside and Leslieville.