It’s a special back-to-school edition for our next TSA tour as we take on a double-feature experience with not just one, but two recently completed landscape projects transforming the historic heart of the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus: Ziibiing and UofT’s Landscape of Landmark Quality Project.
Located at Hart House Circle, the Ziibiing project is a multi-use greenspace for learning, gathering, and ceremony. Designed by the Indigenous Design Studio and Landscape Architecture team at Brook McIlroy with input from University of Toronto Elders, faculty, and students, this landscape acts as an immersive, active, and meaningful space that is representative of the many diverse Indigenous Nations on Turtle Island. Surrounding it, and encompassing four historic landscapes —King’s College Circle, Hart House Circle, Sir Daniel Wilson Quad, and the Back Campus fields—is the UofT Landscape of Landmark Quality, one of the largest landscape infrastructure projects in Canada. Led by KPMB Architects and Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, the project sets a long-term vision to clarify, reimagine, and connect the campus by removing all surface-level parking, significantly limiting vehicular access to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists, expanding green areas and biodiversity, and enhancing accessibility. The project also includes a large geothermal field as part of an ongoing initiative to reduce overall campus emissions. These two projects represent in built and natural forms the values and priorities of the university, respectful of the institution’s long history while also looking towards a more sustainable, inclusive and accessible future.
During our tour, we’ll have the chance to hear directly from the architects, landscape architects and designers behind these two incredible spaces, learn about the unique challenges behind these landmark landscapes and lessons learnt that can help shape future projects across the city.
Date: Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Meeting Place: 12 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON M5S 3J9
Price: $20+HST General Admission, $10+HST for TSA Members
About TSA Building Tours
Designed for architects by architects, the TSA Building Tours offer unique behind-the-scenes access to recently completed or under construction buildings across the GTA. Led by the team behind their design, these tours provide an opportunity to hear the stories behind the architecture and learn about the challenges and successes in ideating and realising the vision for the building.