Northcrest launches design competition for former Downsview runway

TORONTO — Northcrest Developments has launched a global design competition for The Runway at YZD in Toronto, formerly home of Downsview airport.

The Runway at YZD Design Competition will present an opportunity for cross-disciplinary design teams to redesign the 1.3-mile airstrip into the cornerstone of a future series of mixed-use communities across the 370-acre YZD site, stated a release.

The developer foresees the runway as a continuous, pedestrian-focused and publicly accessible corridor with creative public spaces and programming. The former airstrip will connect the seven communities proposed for YZD, providing public amenities and recreation opportunities for the 55,000 residents and 23,000 workers that will eventually live and work at the site, in addition to visitors.

A test airstrip, military base and centre for aerospace manufacturing and innovation for more than 100 years, the Downsview Airport was sold by Bombardier in 2018 and formally handed over to lead developer Northcrest this past spring. Northcrest is currently working on the plan for its first neighbourhood, The Hangar District.

“This competition presents an extraordinary opportunity for design teams to make their mark by reimagining a cherished piece of Toronto’s industrial heritage into a world-class, four-season public space,” said Kristy Shortall, senior vice-president of development at Northcrest in a statement. “The Runway is the heart of YZD. It will be the primary pedestrian corridor, and it embodies our ambitions of creating complete communities that are vibrant, sustainable and connected, prioritizing people at its core.”

Urban designer Ken Greenberg will chair the competition jury.

The competition will consist of two phases. Phase one will see design teams submit expressions of interest. For phase two, Northcrest Developments will issue requests for proposals to shortlisted teams. Once selected by the jury, the winning team will begin work on the Runway Design guidelines in Q3 2025.

Interested parties can find more details about the design competition at yzd.ca/runwaydesign. Submissions for the expression of interest are due at 11:59 p.m. EST on Nov. 22.