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Bjarke Ingels-designed KING Toronto releases its final set of luxury penthouses

Building Team

Bjarke Ingels-designed KING Toronto releases its final set of luxury penthouses

Two years ago, the mixed-use development, now under construction, sold a penthouse for a record-breaking $16 million.


By Novid Parsi, Contributing Editor | May 18, 2022
KING Toronto penthouses ext
KING Toronto forms a new architectural typology for downtown Toronto, regarded as one of the most iconic builds in the city’s recent history. Courtesy KING Toronto.

In April 2020, a penthouse at KING Toronto sold for $16 million, the highest condo sale in Toronto that year or the year after. In recent weeks, developers Westbank and Allied released KING Toronto’s final set of penthouses.

On Toronto’s King Street West, KING Toronto, a mixed-use development now under construction, stacks terraced units into four “mountain peaks” that overlook a central courtyard. Each unit faces out at a 45-degree angle, creating an undulating appearance that contrasts with typical flat building facades. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and inspired by Moshe Safdie’s Habitat ’67 and Pierre Chareau’s Maison de Verre, KING Toronto offers downtown Toronto a distinctly different architectural style.

KING Toronto’s six penthouses sit atop its four peaks. The name of each penthouse reflects the custom designs by BIG. Treehouse features an indoor mature planted tree, for instance, while Bibliothèque has a two-floor library. The final two penthouses are the Glass House and the Sanctuary.

The Glass House is a 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath unit with 2,919 interior square feet and 640 exterior square feet. A gray marble fireplace forms the centerpiece of the main double-height living room. Dark steel elements include a staircase and floor-to-ceiling wine storage. The Glass House also includes a library, in addition to a series of terraces and balconies.

The Sanctuary is a 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath unit with 2,026 interior square feet and 516 exterior square feet. It keeps with the modern industrial theme of its neighbor, the Glass House. Likewise light-filled and open, the Sanctuary also has multiple glass-block walls and features a floating fireplace in blackened steel and a staircase of deep black oak.

When complete, KING Toronto will include 440 residential homes and 150,000 square feet of workspace and retail. 

Building Team:

Architect of record: Diamond Schmitt

Mechanical engineer: Reinbold Engineering Group

Electrical engineer: Nemetz (S/A) & Associates Ltd.

Structural engineer: RJC Engineers

General contractor/construction manager: EllisDon

KING penthouse indoor pool
The penthouse purchaser worked with BIG’s design team to create a custom home that included an indoor pool. Courtesy KING Toronto.
KING Penthouse int 2
Courtesy KING Toronto.
KING Toronto Dining Interior
Courtesy KING Toronto
KING Toronto Penthouse Hot Tub
Courtesy KING Toronto.

 

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