Drivers commuting along the Gardiner Expressway will be pleased to know their drive to and from the city will soon include a massive new art installation.
Entitled Motion in Air (Ma), the public art display is being assembled along the Gardiner Expressway on the northern façade of Mirabella Development Corporation's lakeshore project, Mirabella Luxury Condominiums, located at 1926 Lake Shore Boulevard West.
Once completed, the visual display will become a permanent fixture on the building's façade and will be seen by over 100,000 daily commuters travelling on the Gardiner near Windermere Avenue.
The developers commissioned prolific Canadian artist Jennifer Macklem to bring the project to life, who has created video projects, installations, paintings, drawings, and public art in artist-run, public and gallery spaces in Canada and overseas.
READ: GTA Condo Sales Hit Record Highs, With Peel Region on Fire
Currently underway, the art installation is said to be one of the city's most ambitious will run longer than the length of a football field, measuring 12.5 meters (41 ft) x 120 meters (395-ft).
The display comprises over 500 dye-sublimated custom printed panels designed to work with the building, the context, and celebrate its natural surroundings.
The artwork is being applied to recyclable aluminum panels that will adorn and enhance the building's exterior while simultaneously being a sustainable, high-quality solution. The innovative process is environmentally responsible and durable for use in highly humid, marine, and cold-weather outdoor conditions, so it's safe to say that it will be able to hold up in Toronto's continuously changing weather conditions.
The installation draws inspiration from the concept of environmental awareness and the development location's connection to the water, sky, and plant life.
Following an eight to ten-week installation, when unveiled, the final result will be a striking depiction of Toronto's ecology aimed at "sparking curiosity and an appreciation for the impact of microscopic elements in nature."
Julie Di Lorenzo, President of Mirabella Development Corporation, explains, "From the very beginning, we wanted to stay true to our core company values with the Mirabella Luxury Condominium project. We will always strive to be a leader on green initiatives by implementing design elements that address enhanced air quality, increased open space and impactful sustainability measures and higher quality construction."
"Motion in Air is a deeply meaningful and timely statement on our collective vision for urban living in harmony with and respectful of natural settings," said Di Lorenzo.
Once completed, the Mirabella project will feature urban living within one of the most natural settings in Toronto. Beyond the art installation, Mirabella further demonstrates the developer's commitment to the environment by being registered under the LEED green building rating system, with a goal of LEED Gold certification.
Additionally, Mirabella has achieved the voluntary Tier 2 level of the Toronto Green Standards V2, which is beyond what the City of Toronto requires.
