Located at the northeast corner of Queen and Church Streets in Toronto’s Garden District, QueenChurch is a 57-storey mixed-use development by Tridel and Bazis, designed by Rosario Varacalli in collaboration with KIRKOR. The project thoughtfully integrates heritage-listed buildings at its base, preserving their architectural character while embedding them into a modern urban framework.
The heritage frontages are restored and incorporated into the podium, maintaining their street-level presence and historical significance. A glass-clad tower rises above, with a distinct reveal separating the podium from the vertical massing, allowing the heritage elements to remain visually prominent. The podium design draws inspiration from the original buildings’ proportions and materials, while introducing a projected metal panel and spandrel system on the window wall above, creating a sleek contrast that emphasizes the transition from historic to contemporary. This approach ensures the development respects its cultural context while contributing a bold new architectural statement to the downtown skyline.
