Intelligent City starts production on nine-storey Toronto mass timber project

TORONTO — A Vancouver-based company that specializes in the design, engineering and manufacturing of prefabricated mass timber building systems for mid- to highrise urban housing has started production on a nine-storey build in Toronto’s west-end neighbourhood.

Set to rise at 230 Royal York Dr. the housing project, with key components from Intelligent City, will include 58 market-rate rental units and two replacement rental dwelling rooms, states a release.

The project is developed by Windmill Developments and Leader Lane Developments and will be delivered with the help of project partners Oben Build, Lang Wilson Practice in Architecture Culture Inc. (LWPAC) and Moses Structural Engineers.

Intelligent City’s manufacturing facility in Delta, B.C., will manufacture the main structure and envelope of the building over the course of four months using advanced automation, including industrial robots and AI to process and assemble building parts on the production line, the release continues.

“New construction practices like this shorten the time to build housing and reduce the impact of construction on neighbours,” says Coun. Amber Morley, who represents Ward 3, Etobicoke Lakeshore, in a statement. “This means our residents will be able to move in sooner to much-needed rental units that are within walking distance of transit. The sustainable, mass timber development at 230 Royal York Drive is reflective of a commitment to reducing carbon emissions and expanding environmentally responsible housing. I’m encouraged to see developers embracing green building practices and working toward a more sustainable future for Toronto.”

Onsite installation will begin in May, and it is expected that within 90 days the entire structure and enclosure of the building will be completed.

“This project is a testament to how prefabrication can meet growing housing demand without compromising on sustainability, design, or quality,” says Oliver David Krieg, president of Intelligent City. “Intelligent City’s mission is to accelerate the supply of urban housing using renewable resources and industrialized manufacturing, while maintaining a high level of design quality and freedom.”