Residence for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto
Toronto
ON
Award Category:
Governor General’s Medals in Architecture
Shim-Sutcliffe Architects Inc.
Lead design architect(s):
Brigitte Shim, FRAIC
Howard Sutcliffe, FRAIC
The new home for the Sisters of St Joseph forms a sinuous line between the Don Valley to the north and the low-rise urban fabric of the city to the south. The building articulates both individual contemplative life and the community engagement of the sisters’ ministries. It makes relationships to nature and the city to reinforce public and private aspects. These dualities are expressed both in the exterior of the building and its interior spaces.
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Photo: Courtesy of the Sisters of St. Joseph
Photo: James Dow
Photo: Positive Imaging
Photo: Bob Gundu
Photo: Bob Gundu
"This project shines for the care that was brought in creating a loving environment for the elderly. The progression of public to private living spaces is underscored by the transition from urban to natural setting, along a narrow site on the edge of a ravine. The choice of materials and the careful attention to detail further add to the notion of this being a life-supporting environment, in the most profound sense of the term."