September 22nd, 2008

Spacing presents thinkToronto

Posted by Spacing

Spacing magazine invites people — 35 years old or younger — with creative ideas on how to improve Toronto’s public space to take part in thinkToronto, an urban design ideas competition that will help celebrate the magazine’s 5th anniversary in December 2008. Architects, urban planners, landscape architects, designers, artists of all disciplines, students, and the urban curious are all encouraged to submit their plans to tweak, improve, or redesign streetscape elements and specific areas of Toronto.

thinkToronto seeks ideas from the next generation of city builders who want to challenge how we view Toronto’s public realm. The competition gives participants a platform to explore and experiment with Toronto’s urban landscape and generate a dialogue among Torontonians about creative and sustainable solutions in our shared common spaces.

Since our fifth anniversary issue is a “looking forward” theme, we chose the age limit in order to highlight the up-and-coming talent our city and country possesses. Fear not, those older than 35, as we have plans to include your important ideas in the magazine in the near future.

Submitting your ideas to thinkToronto allows your work to be seen by thousands of Spacing readers. The magazine attracts up to 40,000 readers per issue.

• Entrants must be residents of Canada
• Entrants must be 35 years or younger [ anyone born in 1973 or later ]
• Individuals or groups of up to three people can submit an entry
• There is no limit to the number of entries a participant can submit

All entries must be located in Toronto’s public realm. This includes existing or potential public spaces or sites, including parks, public squares, streets, traffic circles, plazas, ravines, waterfront, bus loops, boulevards, sidewalks, laneways, and greenways. We are not interested in public places on private property like shopping malls, stores, libraries, or bars.

Whenever possible, consider how to make your submission unique to Toronto.

There are three types of categories — visual examples for each category are provided in the design briefs link:

Redesign or propose new pieces of infrastructure or street furniture that dot the roads and sidewalks of Toronto. View images and design briefs of streetscape elements.

Address a problem or challenge that is located in a specific area or neighbourhood of Toronto. View images and design briefs of specific area design challenges.

Submissions can be of anything that is located in Toronto’s public realm (see above description). Some examples could be a new cultural building, plans to re-design an intersection, a new way to irrigate street trees, a new form of mass transit, or a new park. If you are unsure if your idea fits into the competition just send us an email or call us at 416 644 1017.

Please download the entry form [ 44k PDF]. View specific information about submitting your ideas to thinkToronto.

View the jurors of the thinkToronto competition.

• There is no cost for entry
• A winner from each category will be awarded, plus a Best Of Show
• A gallery exhibit will follow competition
• Spacing is seeking sponsors to award cash prizes
• Sign-up for a newsletter of updates and submission reminders
• Join the thinkToronto Facebook group
• Email us at thinktoronto@spacing.ca with any questions