Skip to Main Content
Advertisement

Winter Stations 2016 Warm Up the Beach

Advertisement

Despite the cold snap, Torontonians flocked to the east-end beaches for the Winter Stations 2016 pavilions.

Local firm RAW Design, along with Ferris + Associates and Curio, initially launched the Winter Stations competition last year as a way to get people outdoors and to enjoy the winter climes. The project was modelled after a popular event held annually in Winnipeg, called Warming Huts, where small architectural follies conceptualized by various design teams are installed along the Red River during the coldest months of the year.

The success of the inaugural Winter Stations has led to the latest installation of fun and quirky pavilions along Kew, Scarborough and Balmy Beaches, designed by university students and firms from across Canada. In total, seven pavilions were chosen from 378 competition entries. They will remain in place until March 20, 2016.

While some are purely sculptural, others provide modest shelter from the icy winds and cold, including a see-through sauna and shelter lined in vintage fur. Renowned architect Douglas Cardinal was also on hand on opening day to introduce another beachfront initiative: a permanent fire pit. The pit is surrounded by a semi-circular bench system designed by Cardinal and made of formed wood that is charred on one side.

Here are some of the highlights from the opening day of Winter Stations 2016:

Flow art installation by Calvin Fung and Victor Huynh, part of Winter Stations 2016

Flow by Calvin Fung and Victor Huynh

A tangle of star-shaped wooden ice crystals half cover one of the lifeguard stations. The 3-D building blocks were digitally generated and are held in place by their spiky form, requiring very few tools to assemble.

Floating Ropes art installation by Elodie Doukhan and Nicolas Mussche of Montreal’s MUDO, part of Winter Stations 2016

Floating Ropes by Elodie Doukhan and Nicolas Mussche of Montreal’s MUDO

Hundreds of metres of rope have been tied and suspended from a square frame that surrounds a lifeguard chair, creating a hut-like form that sways like hair in the wind.

Belly of a Bear art installation by Caitlind RC Brown, Wayne Garrett and Lane Shordee of Calgary

Belly of a Bear by Caitlind RC Brown, Wayne Garrett and Lane Shordee of Calgary

Perched on the beach like a giant marble, Belly of the Bear was one of the most crowd-pleasing and eye-grabbing, with its charred wood exterior contrasting snow-covered sand. Visitors lined up to climb into its spherical interior, lined in vintage fur. A round window at the top provides an ideal spot for stargazing at night.

Steam Canoe art installation by students at OCADU, part of Winter Stations 2016

Steam Canoe by students at OCADU

One pavilion was still under construction on opening day, but its final form, in the shape of an up-ended canoe bow, could be made out from the pieces waiting to be nailed in place. When complete, the curved bent wood will surround the lifeguard stand, and solar tubes at the back of the structure will convert snow into vapour to emit a halo of fog.

Sauna art installation by Claire Furnley and James Fox of FFLO

Sauna by Claire Furnley and James Fox of FFLO

Claire Furnley and James Fox, principals of the British landscape studio FFLO, installed Sauna, a wooden framed structure wrapped in transparent plastic. Brave souls are invited to dawn their swimming gear and climb inside, where they can have a seat and keep warm near a wood-stocked stove, located at one end.

Aurora Borealis art installation by students of Laurentian University, part of Winter Stations 2016

Aurora Borealis by students of Laurentian University

Pink and red streamers attached to a spinning rack are meant to fly in circles as they catch the wind. But the breezes blowing off Lake Ontario were a bit too strong, causing the entrails to get tangled in the mechanism.

Fire pit art installation by Douglas Cardinal, part of Winter Stations 2016

Fire pit by Douglas Cardinal

On the same day Winter Stations opened, another beachfront installation was moved into place: a permanent open fire pit with a surrounding berm for seating, designed by renowned architect Douglas Cardinal, who is shown here performing a drumming ritual for the occasion.

Discover more about the annual Winter Stations editions.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Get to know the judges behind our second annual competition!

Carefully selected from across Toronto’s dynamic design community, the 2026 Best in Design Awards (BDAs) jury brings a sharp eye and unmatched expertise to the table. With diverse backgrounds in architecture, interior design, development and beyond, this year’s jurors are poised to recognize and celebrate the city’s most inspiring, boundary-pushing projects.

Advertisement

Newsletter

Your Weekly Dose of Modern Design

Sign up for the Designlines weekly newsletter to keep up with the latest design news, trends and inspiring projects from across Toronto. Join our community and never miss a beat!

Please fill out your email address.

The Magazine

Get the Latest Issue

From a sprawling family home in Oakville to a coastal-inspired retreat north of the city, we present spaces created by architects and interior designers that redefine the contemporary.

Designlines 2024 Issue