WilkinsonEyre has completed the second phase of CIBC SQUARE, a high-rise office development in Toronto’s financial district. The development comprises two towers: 141 Bay Street, which is entering initial occupancy, and 81 Bay Street, completed in 2021. The buildings are connected by a one-acre elevated public park positioned 25 metres above the active Union Station rail corridor.
Reconnecting the city
WilkinsonEyre was appointed following an international design competition led by real estate developer Hines and global investment group La Caisse in 2014. The scheme occupies one of Canada’s most technically complex sites, spanning land on either side of the rail corridor as well as the air rights above it.
For decades, the Union Station rail artery separated Toronto’s downtown area from the waterfront. WilkinsonEyre’s response introduces an elevated ‘skypark’ that connects the two towers and the surrounding districts, effectively extending the city centre southwards.
A folded facade
Rising to approximately 250 metres, the two towers are defined by subtly folded glazed facades. A repeating diamond pattern, expressed every ten storeys, introduces a vertical rhythm and distinguishes the buildings within the skyline. The folds create diamond-shaped facets that reflect a changing spectrum of colours throughout the day, becoming especially prominent at dusk.
Internally, CIBC SQUARE provides large, efficient floorplates alongside generous volumes and carefully detailed interiors. The ambition to connect each tower directly to the park resulted in dramatic 25-metre-high lobby spaces, with access at the upper level enabling a seamless transition between workplace and landscape.
Amenities include a conference centre, sports and wellness facilities, bicycle storage, and a range of places to eat and drink. Specially commissioned artworks by Toronto-based painter Steve Driscoll bring additional colour and character to the interiors.
Public landscape and transport connections
At the centre of the development is The Park, Canada’s first elevated green space constructed over active rail infrastructure. Opening later in 2026, it will function as both a destination and a connection, allowing pedestrians to move between the financial district and the southern core. Year-round programming will include a seasonal ice rink, bringing further activity to the downtown area.
Delivered in partnership with the Government of Ontario and transportation agency Metrolinx, the development strengthens its proximity to Union Station through a new Union Station Bus Terminal, upgrades to the Union Station East Teamway, expanded PATH connections, and improved links to the subway and the future Waterfront East light rail transit network. Together, these interventions create a highly integrated commuter experience.
Workplace and long-term sustainability
The first phase of CIBC SQUARE, 81 Bay Street, achieved LEED Platinum Core & Shell certification, the WELL Health-Safety Rating, and ENERGY STAR certification. It was also designed to the Toronto Green Standard v2. From the outset, 141 Bay Street was conceived as 81 Bay’s near-twin, designed to target the same sustainability frameworks.
‘While LEED and WELL are important benchmarking tools that drive various aspects of the sustainability agenda, I think one of the more enduring sustainability stories here is the longevity and adaptability of the development itself,’ said Ed Daines, Director at WilkinsonEyre Australia. ‘The project was designed to anticipate changing workplace needs at high density above Canada’s busiest public transport interchange, creating a development intended to remain both accessible and relevant over the long term. There is a social dimension to that sustainability, as well as an environmental one.’
Combining extensive transit connections with high-quality workplaces, amenities, and public space, CIBC SQUARE represents a significant addition to Toronto’s evolving skyline.
Q&A with Ed Daines, Director, WilkinsonEyre Australia
Archello: Could you share one or more identifiable products, manufacturers, or proprietary systems specified for CIBC SQUARE — particularly where sustainability, durability, energy performance, or long-term operation informed their selection?
Ed Daines: ‘The curtain wall is probably the strongest example. Delivered by Sotawall, it incorporates Viracon glazing using VNE24-63 and VUE24-40 glass. The specification was driven by both Toronto’s climate and, inevitably, what was available in the North American market at the time.
Large panes and a reduced frame-to-glass ratio limited the thermal penalty associated with aluminium framing while supporting the purity of the sculptural expression we sought. The pane dimensions also influenced the range of high-performance coatings that could be fabricated reliably, requiring a careful balance between solar control, visual clarity, and architectural expression.
The selected glass deliberately favoured reflectivity, while the use of low-iron glass helped to minimise the inherent green tint of conventional clear glass. This allowed the coatings and folded geometry to read more cleanly and reflect external light dynamically throughout the day.
We also considered external shading options early in the design process. This is already challenging to achieve on tall buildings, but Toronto’s winter climate made it truly impractical. On high-rise buildings, external projections have to be kept to an absolute minimum because of the danger of accumulated winter ice subsequently falling hundreds of metres to the street below as temperatures rise. As a result, achieving solar control through the glazing itself became a key driver of the facade strategy.’
Archello: The first phase, 81 Bay Street, is described as having achieved LEED Platinum Core & Shell, the WELL Health-Safety Rating, and ENERGY STAR certification. Were similar sustainability benchmarks, certification targets, or performance frameworks pursued for 141 Bay Street and/or the wider CIBC SQUARE development? If so, how did these shape the design process?
Ed Daines: ‘81 Bay Street achieved LEED Platinum Core & Shell certification and was also one of the pilot projects for the WELL Building Standard, marking one of the first times the new standard had been applied to a project of this scale. In addition, it was designed to the Toronto Green Standard v2, which introduced locally specific criteria around issues such as stormwater management, heat island mitigation, biodiversity, street trees, and bird-friendly design. From the outset, 141 Bay Street was conceived as the near-twin of 81 Bay and designed to target the same sustainability frameworks; the design intent was consistent across both phases.
While LEED and WELL are important benchmarking tools that drive various aspects of the sustainability agenda, I think one of the more enduring sustainability stories here is the longevity and adaptability of the development itself. The project was designed to anticipate changing workplace needs at high density above Canada’s busiest public transport interchange, creating a development intended to remain both accessible and relevant over the long term. There is a social dimension to that sustainability, as well as an environmental one.
We started working on the project in 2013 and it was incredibly interesting to be involved in WELL at a time when the standard was still evolving. As one of the early pilot projects, CIBC SQUARE helped to test many of the principles that have since become commonplace in commercial office design. WELL shifts the focus beyond environmental performance to human health and well-being, considering factors such as air quality, daylight, acoustics, movement, thermal comfort, mental well-being, nourishment, and biophilic design.
The combination of WELL, LEED Platinum, WiredScore Platinum, and transit-oriented design made the project unusually ambitious at its inception, particularly at this scale. This translated into design decisions that placed occupants at the heart of the scheme, including enhanced air filtration and outdoor air rates, circadian lighting strategies, generous end-of-trip facilities, active design principles, low-VOC materials, careful acoustic design, and extensive public realm integrated through the elevated park above the rail corridor. Many of these measures seemed truly prescient following Covid-19.
Features that might have been viewed as progressive or optional when we began the project have since become central to attracting and retaining tenants and to creating workplaces that people actively want to occupy and use. I’d say that designing with such a high level of adaptability in mind may prove to be one of the project’s most meaningful contributions to long-term sustainability.’
Archello: The project makes significant use of air rights above the Union Station rail corridor and introduces a public park over active infrastructure. How did considerations around long-term urban use, durability, adaptability, maintenance, and lifecycle value inform the design?
Ed Daines: ‘From the outset, we wanted to create both a workplace and a genuinely public place for the city that would endure. Building over the Union Station rail corridor presented an opportunity not only to connect the two phases of the scheme visually, but also to reconnect two parts of the city that had long been divided by the tracks. This helped to unify the development while strengthening the connection between downtown Toronto and the waterfront.
Longevity was considered in several ways. At an urban level, the project was designed to remain relevant as expectations of workplaces and public space continue to evolve. Many of the decisions around wellness, public realm, and amenity have proven resilient as priorities have shifted over the past decade. We see social sustainability as creating places that can evolve with changing patterns of work while continuing to bring people together and contribute to the life of the city.
From a technical perspective, the structure had to accommodate the future evolution of the rail corridor beneath it. The design allows for potential changes such as rail electrification and even the reconfiguration of tracks, recognising that the infrastructure below will continue to evolve over the building’s lifetime.
Maintenance was another important consideration. Access to the structure supporting the park is provided internally wherever possible, allowing inspection and maintenance to be carried out with minimal disruption to the active railway below.
Working with landscape architects Public Work, the park itself was conceived as a year-round civic space rather than simply a seasonal amenity. It supports a programme of events throughout the year and is designed to function equally well in summer and winter, incorporating an ice rink during the colder months, for example. That flexibility helps to ensure it remains an active, well-used public space throughout the year, reinforcing its long-term social sustainability alongside its technical durability.’
