Housing - US

Housing

We are architects, engineers, designers and urbanists.

Placemaking for a Modern World

We design at every scale and every stage in the process of placemaking, from visioning to briefing, design, delivery and operation. The places we create are distinct; social, natural, valuable and beautiful – a reflection of humanity.

The practice has grown to over 1,300 people operating from a collaborative network of global studios, all creative hubs connected to the cities and regions they serve.

Developing new communities to match the rapid pace of global urbanization, we have extensive experience delivering award-winning residential projects for public and private sector clients.

We combine expertise across disciplines, locations, sectors and all major building types to deliver a truly integrated way of working – resulting in high-quality, practical and inspiring built spaces.

BDP’s residential work is at the forefront of design for many diverse mixed-use and standalone residential projects.

Sustainable Homes

True sustainability lies in meeting the ‘triple bottom line’ of environmental, social, and economic considerations; we help clients meet these aims through our collaborative design process. We work with our clients to build a bespoke sustainability strategy aligned with their development goals. Through this process, goals are set for material selection, operational and embodied carbon, energy performance, indoor air quality,

access to nature, daylight and views, complete communities and social value.

We start from passive design principles, looking for opportunities to optimize the building form, solar exposure, window and wall performance. From here we work with our engineers to select quality systems, smart controls and opportunities to tie into renewable or district energy systems.

The greenest building is the one already built. Where possible, we identify opportunities for reuse, refurbishment, re-purposing of materials/buildings, saving raw materials and embodied carbon.

Our sustainable design expertise has assisted clients with achieving internationally recognized standards and accreditations for their projects, from large-scale urban environments to the specification of an individual building.

Adaptive Reuse and Intensification

A major first step in creating environmentally and socially sustainable development is to maximize the utilization of our existing hard and soft infrastructure. Intensification of existing sites is a natural step that follows in this approach, and we believe adapting existing buildings should always be considered before building new.

Adaptive reuse of existing buildings is a low embodied carbon approach to site intensification. We have long-established experience in creatively re-imagining the program of existing structures of varying typologies, including older buildings with historic and cultural significance.

Urban Densification

Cities are evolving into densely populated, green, mixed-use centers linked by pedestrian and transportation. By 2050, nearly two-thirds of the global population will be urban dwellers. Our multi-disciplinary design practice is well-equipped to address the ensuing challenges.

Central to this transformation is the urgent need for urban densification, which entails creating vibrant, walkable neighborhoods near

essential services and open spaces. This approach emphasizes transit-oriented expansion, reimagining the potential for mid-rise and tall structures.

RUSH | Toronto, Canada

Great Places to Live

Neighborhoods and communities that are great places to live deliver many measurable benefits, such as social integration, improved health and well-being, and increased productivity.

Our aim is always to design high-quality residential buildings and mixed-use developments with the right mix of elements and density that will successfully navigate the complexities of the planning process while safeguarding the project’s placemaking aims and long-term value.

Gallery Square | Markham, Canada

99 Gerrard

Location

Toronto, Canada

Client KingSett Capital Inc.

Size 620,000 sf

Completion 2020

An addition and renovation to a mixed-use building from the 1970s, 99 Gerrard provides density and growth by creating 274 purpose-built rental residential units. The new building features a refined design with a transparent, inviting podium visible from the street. Improved amenities and an expanded range of housing options give new life to this older structure. 99 Gerrard has received the LEED Platinum certification and winner of CTBUH Repositioning Award.

307 Lake Shore Boulevard East

Ar Su

Location Toronto, Canada

Client Plaza Partners

Cost

Undisclosed

Completion

Ongoing

Situated on Toronto’s waterfront, 307 Lake Shore Boulevard East is a key site at the foot of Parliament Street that will create a dramatic introduction to the lake front. A generous pedestrian promenade will extend along the north side of the building, animated by the community space and the residential lobby. Adding to the memorable character of the flat iron-shaped tower is a lattice of offset triangular balconies wrapping the building. Designed to Passive Haus standards as part of a progressive, sustainable design will also be embedded into the structure with an aspiration to a net zero carbon future. Winner of CTBUH Future Project Award.

Armada Housing, Paleiskwartier, Den Bosch

Ar Location ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands

Client

Credo Integrale Planontwikkeling BV

Cost £30m

Completion 2003

Longhouses and Tallhouses are set along a watercourse, creating a striking centerpiece at the heart of a new urban quarter in one of the Netherlands’ most beautiful historic towns. The orientation and shaping of the buildings are determined by the local micro-climatic character and are designed to maximize light to the apartments and reduce wind turbulence.

130 Bloor Street West

Location

Ar

Toronto, Canada

Client KingSett Capital Inc

Completion 2009

A unique collection of luxury condominium units were built on top of an existing commercial tower on the busiest and most desirable stretch of Toronto’s “Mink Mile.”

130 Bloor is an innovative approach to heritage and intensification, preserving a 1960s office tower and a famous penthouse while adding luxurious apartments above a busy, occupied urban structure. Winner of RAIC Innovation in Architecture Award.

1181

Queen Street West

Ar

Location Toronto, Canada

Client Skale Developments

Completion 2023

As a gateway into the West Queen West neighborhood, the mainstreet responds to its context with a proportional street wall along Queen Street and a series of terraces stepping to the south, framing the historic Gladstone Hotel. Irregular floorplates create unique, large end-user units with adjoining terraces, providing the neighborhood with an alternative to the single-family home.

Reina

Ar

Location Toronto, Canada

Client Urban Capital Property Group

Completion

Ongoing

Reina, a mid-rise residential building in Toronto, is designed, developed, engineered, and constructed by an all-woman-led team. Featuring an incredibly robust set of amenities 25% larger than the City requires, the design considers feedback from a year-long consultation process with a range of users including multi-generational families, parents with young or adolescent children, and singles. The result is a contemporary mid-rise with atypically large, flexible floor plans, generous outdoor spaces, a forward-thinking amenity program geared towards fostering community and familiarity between residents, and a family-friendly addition to the community.

RUSH

Ar

Location

Toronto, Canada

Client Alterra Group of Companies

Size 94,300 sf

Completion 2022

RUSH is a contextual response to surrounding developments and the neighborhood, located within the King-Spadina - a Heritage Conservation District and a designated “Regeneration Area.” The introduction of controlled graffiti along the exterior ground level of the 15-story condominium embraces the influence of Rush Lane (“Graffiti Alley”). It harmoniously integrates with the neighborhood’s fabric while providing density.

DUKE Condominiums

Ar

Location Toronto, Canada

Client TAS DesignBuild

Cost $20m

Completion 2017

DUKE is a seven-story condominium in the heart of Toronto’s Junction neighborhood that adds a diverse mix of apartments, live/ work units, and retail to a vibrant and growing community. Retail facing the main streets engages the public, while a laneway of live/ work units draws pedestrians and diverse, unique businesses. Winner of Toronto Urban Design Award with an Award of Merit.

Landsea Eco-Housing

Ar Ac

Su

Location Nanjing, China

Client Landsea

Completion 2012

A medium-density development in the suburbs of Nanjing provides several hundred units with parkland and recreational facilities. Full-height louvered triple glazing on the southeast balconies offers a changeable and dynamic passive design, with advanced measures such as super-insulation, low air leakage, and eliminating thermal bridging to maximize energy savings at a minimal cost.

Abito Apartments

Location Salford, UK

Client ASK Property

Developments

Cost £24m

Completion 2009

The Abito development features 290 high quality modular apartments designed to a tight budget; achieved by re-evaluating live/ work patterns, overlapping functional areas and taking advantage of the economies of scale derived from using repeatable service pods containing a bathroom, utility cupboard, kitchen and wardrobe. The apartments are arranged on the site in a manner that creates an internal and weather protected courtyard. The large-scale industrial design aesthetic informs much of Abito’s structure and appearance, with ‘clipped-on’ steel balconies as an extension to each studio apartment.

Location

Toronto, Canada

Client

Alterra Group of Companies

Size

54,000 sf

Completion

A luxury condominium built on top of a heritage schoolhouse in Toronto’s landmark Yorkville district, 36 Hazelton features a restored three-story brick and stone façade with a seven-story zinc and glass structure behind. This 20-unit condominium expresses luxury and heritage, showcasing Yorkville’s history while addressing its present.

Bata Shoe Factory

Ar

Location Toronto, Canada

Client Batawa Development Corporation

Cost $32m

Completion 2019

The adaptive reuse of Bata’s former shoe factory in the Town of Batawa is the centerpiece of a vision to transform the former industrial town into a new model for rural sustainable development. Residential apartments, retail, and community uses occupy the original structure, now enhanced with large windows, new balconies, and a welcoming lobby, reestablishing what was once the center of Batawa as a destination.

Toy Factory Lofts

Ar

Location Toronto, Canada

Client The Toy Factory of Hanna Developments Inc.

Size 2.23 acres

Completion

2007

A former industrial building in Toronto’s Liberty Village, The Toy Factory Lofts was converted into a mix of commercial offices, residences, and work/live spaces. The Toy Factory Lofts project involved a strategic combination of renovations, additions, demolition, and new construction that integrated components of the historic building design with innovative contemporary features. Toy Factory Lofts was honored with an Honorable Mention at the 2009 Toronto Urban Design Awards.

Candy Factory Lofts

Ar ID

Location Toronto, Canada

Client Norford Investments

Limited / The Metrontario Group / CMIC Computer Methods

Size

229,000 sf

Completion 1998

A vacant century-old heavy timber and masonry factory building was restored and thoughtfully transformed into 120 residential lofts in downtown Toronto’s Queen West neighborhood. The restoration of this underused site demonstrates the power of renewal, signaling change for an entire urban neighborhood’s contemporary reinvention.

Development plans to bring Weir Mill, a Grade II listed former mill in Stockport, back to life. The reimagined Weir Mill will feature a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, as well as 24,000 sq ft of commercial space across the multiple buildings.

Gallery Square (HS1)

Location Downtown Markham, Canada

Client The Remington Group Size

750,000 sf

Completion

Ongoing

The first of three ambitious, upscale residential towers in the emerging Downtown Markham community, Gallery Square will have its focal point built around a central public courtyard, with a grand three-story staircase and seating along an outdoor promenade.

Gallery Square (HS2)

Ar ID

Location Downtown Markham, Canada

Client

The Remington Group

Size

610,000 sf

Completion

Ongoing

Completing the mega-block development begun by Gallery Square, Gallery Towers defines the perimeter streets with a seven-story podium building and marks two important intersections with towers of 25 and 30 stories. The towers are differentiated by cladding, color, and integration with the podium, with the taller of the two lifted above curtain wall glazing to reveal extensive amenity space. A fully integrated architectural and interior design approach allows for a seamless blend of interior and exterior elements.

Indigenous Hub

UD Ar

ID MA Su

Location Toronto, Canada

Client Dream Kilmer Tricon, Anishnawbe Health

Toronto Size

440,000 sf

Completion

Ongoing

This new mixed-use development in the Canary District aims to articulate Indigenous values and principles through its design. The program includes a new four-story health center; a four-story education, employment, and training center with a municipally-operated child care facility; restoration of the historic Canary Restaurant building for commercial use; a 13-story condominium; and an 11-story rental building. Winner of WAFX Award and shortlisted for WAF Future Projects category.

St George Developments, Grand Union Phase I

ID Ar

Location Alperton, UK

Client St George Developments Ltd

Cost Confidential Completion 2024

Canalside housing development comprises four buildings varying in height from five to 14 stories. It will accommodate 400 apartments, residents’ facilities, a community center, a nursery, a food store, a restaurant, a café, a bowling alley, residents’ car parking, and a high-quality public realm. A mix of tenures is provided, including affordable rent, shared ownership, and market housing for sale.

St George Developments, Grand

Union Phase II

Location

London, UK

Client

St George Developments Ltd

Cost

Confidential

Completion

Ongoing

The second phase of this canal-side housing development comprises four separate buildings accommodating 525 apartments, residents’ car parking, and a high-quality public realm. A mix of tenures is provided, including affordable rentals, shared ownership, and market housing for sale.

Plumstead West Thamesmead

Location

London, UK

Client St George Developments Ltd

Cost

Confidential

Completion

Ongoing

Design and delivery of significant new development at the gateway to Thamesmead. The project, a joint venture between Berkeley Homes and Peabody, transforms a vacant 17-acre industrial site into a dynamic new neighborhood with housing, local retail, and a new town park. The project will deliver 1,750 new homes (40% affordable) and features a biodiverse landscape with active play spaces to encourage healthy living.

Expo 5 - CG Tower

Ar ID

Location Vaughan, Canada

Client Cortel Group

Size 604,000 sf

Completion

Ongoing

At 60 stories, CG Tower is a landmark residential building in the Vaughan Metropolitan Center that infuses art with the public realm and which will connect Highway 7 to the new Edgeley Park. The progressive step-backs of the form and distinctive brick cladding will rise above the nearby emerging cluster of towers with a unique and eye-catching expression. With a larger wall to window ratio and better envelope performance than industry standards, the schedule is greatly improved by developing an innovative pre-glazed precast cladding construction technology.

The Quay

Ar UD

Location Toronto, Canada

Client Coal Harbour Properties Size 522,000 sf

Completion 2016

These older twin buildings located on Toronto’s waterfront required a complete refresh to be brought up to date. The purpose was to build rental units and refresh the building envelope. New windows were included, and the significant changes helped revitalize the units and reinvigorate the community.

101 Roehampton

Location

Toronto, Canada

Client

Arcanos Property Management Corp.

Size 300,400 sf

Completion

Fall 2023

The Hampton is located at 101 Roehampton Avenue in the burgeoning Yonge and Eglinton community of midtown Toronto, near the confluence of two major subway lines. The development consists of a new purpose-built 38-story residential rental tower constructed adjacent to and integrated with a 19-story 1970s vintage apartment building. The project will add 255 new rental units to the 128 existing apartments. The design features a disciplined window grid inserted into a solid brick and precast concrete panel exterior and advanced mechanical features that offer both energy efficiency and a high degree of resident comfort.

Pivot - Yonge & Sheppard Center

Location

Ar ID

Toronto, Canada

Client

RioCan and KingSett

Capital Size

120,575 sm

Completion 2020

The residential tower of the Yonge Sheppard Center borrows on the materiality of the overall project with clean, contemporary lines and the granite at the tower’s podium tied into the black granite curve of the mall. The tower remains distinctive in its massing details with crisp and clean lines that highlight its durability as a sustainable rental property close to transit and flush with nearby amenities. Winner of Toronto Urban Design Award with an Award of Merit.

Gorton Street

Ar

Location Salford, UK

Client

Progressive Living Size

15,500 sf

Completion

Ongoing

Gorton Street is a 38-story co-living project in the Greengate regeneration area of Salford on the boundary with Manchester’s vibrant Cathedral Quarter. The physical constraints of the site, bounded by the River Irwell, the railway viaduct and adjacent buildings has created an opportunity to explore ideas and develop a design concept around a tall, slender tower with a lower level plinth. The plan is organized around an internal slender core that enables open aspects and views around all elevations. The concept allows the communal amenities to have panoramic views.

Selected Awards

BDP has won over 1,000 awards for design quality –a selection of our awards is listed below.

RIBA Award

• Abito Apartments, Salford, UK

Civic Trust Commendation

• Abito Apartments, Salford, UK

RICS Regional Award

• Abito Apartments, Salford, UK

MIPIM Award

• Armada Housing, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Holland  (Finalist – Best Residential Development category)

Mixology Awards

• 99 Gerrard, Toronto (Finalist –Project of the Year – Living Interiors)

Architect of the Year Award

• 2007 BDP (Winner – Private Housing Architect of the Year)

Regeneration Award

• Armada Housing, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Holland (International Regeneration Award)

Insider Property Award (North West)

• Abito Apartments, Greengate, Salford (Residential Developer of the Year)

Daily Mail UK Property Award

• Witham Wharf, Lincolnshire (architecture and development categories)

• Abito Apartments, Greengate, Salford (Winner – Interior Design)

Architectural Society of China

National Renju Award

• Landsea Eco Housing, Nanjing, China

• Jinchen Villas, Shanghai, China

Publieksprijs (Best-Loved Building Award)

• Armada Housing, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Holland

BEX (Building Exchange) Award

• Armada Housing, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Holland (Regeneration Achiever)

North of England Property Executive Development Award for Excellence

• Abito Apartments, Greengate, Salford (Resitial Award for Excellence)

Roses Design Award

• Abito Apartments, Greengate, Salford (Gold Award – Residential category)

Manchester Society Of Architects

Design Award

• Abito Apartments, Salford Quays (Commendation – Large Scale Residential)

• Abito Apartments, Greengate, Salford (Large Residential Category)

What House Award

• Parkway, Newbury (Silver – Best Mixed -Use Development)

• Abito Apartments, Salford Quays (Gold – Best Apartment Scheme)

National Homebuilder Design Award

• Round Foundry, Holbeck, Leeds (Commendation – Best Mixed Use Development)

Concept for Living Award

• Abito Apartments, Greengate, Salford (Best New Build Apartment – North West Region)

York Design Awards

• Lowfield York (Lord Mayor’s Award and Multiple dwelling – Residential Award)

CTBUH - 2023 - Best Tall Building Awards

• 99 Gerrard - Repositioning

• 307 Lake Shore - Future Project

BILD Awards

• Biblio - Best Mid-Rise Building

Active House

• Bata Shoe Factory - Transforming Active Spaces

ARIDO Awards

• 99 Gerrard

• York Condos

WAF 2022

• Indigenous Hub

Architizer A+ Awards

• Yonge Sheppard - Commercial

• Bata Shoe Factory - Architecture + Adaptive Reuse

Toronto Urban Design Awards

• Yonge Sheppard - Award of Merit

• DUKE- Award of Merit

Markham Urban Design Awards

• Markham Downtown - Master Plan

Top 100: Interior Design Rising Giants 2021

• BDP Quadrangle

Richard Witt

Principal, NYC + Toronto

richard.witt@bdp.com

Rosalind Tsang

Studio Director, NYC rosalind.tsang@bdp.com

Michelle Xuereb

Director of Innovation

michelle.xuereb@bdp.com

Ossie Airewele

Associate, Residential + Mixed Use Lead

ossie.airewele@bdp.com

Cover: 307 Lake Shore Boulevard

Photography: Adrien Williams, Scott

Norsworthy, Michael Muraz, Riley Snelling, Nick Caville, Ben Rahn, Bob Gundu, Tom

Arban, Robert Burley, Tom Ridout, Simon Tanenbaum

bdp.com

Key to professions:

Ar Architecture

Ac Acoustics

BSE Building Services Engineering

C&S Civil and Structural Engineering

DM Design Management

GD Graphic Design

InD Inclusive Design

ID Interior Design

La Landscape Architecture

Li Lighting

Ma Masterplanning

Pl Planning

Su Sustainability

UD Urban Design

“Exceptional residential and mixed-use architecture harmonizes functionality and aesthetics, blending thoughtful design, sustainable materials, and community integration. It’s a symphony of spaces that enrich lives, balance urban and human needs, and inspire a sense of belonging.”

Richard Witt Principal, NYC + Toronto

We are architects, engineers, designers and urbanists.