Toronto Condo Critique

Bellair Gardens makes the best of its site.

Sitting at 18 Valley Woods Rd., overlooking the Don Valley Parkway, this 11-storey complex stands out above its neighbours, not so much for its height but for the quality of its architecture. Rather than the usual precast concrete, this one’s all glass. And instead of the typical rectangular grid, it’s all curves. Occupying a sloping site, the building has been set on a poured concrete base that grows deeper as it nears the valley to the west. This means the façade south to Brookbanks Drive is less than exciting, but who will notice?

Perhaps the best view of Bellair Gardens is from the DVP, which it engages dramatically. If an urban highway is your idea of a view, this place could be ideal. If it isn’t, stay away. For commuters, however, it makes a nice change from the anonymous slabs that make one long to leave the city far behind. The image of Bellair Gardens, if not the reality, is of a building that makes the best of a location some would consider unfortunate. In that sense, it deserves full marks.