Sidewalk Labs
Sidewalk Labs — the urban innovation subsidiary of Google’s parent company, Alphabet — is thinking about using an unprecedented amount of tall timber technology, in which layers of timber are glued together in panels, to build a high-tech neighborhood on Toronto’s waterfront.
Waterfront Toronto, a local group that administers revitalization projects, is working with Sidewalk Labs to design the new neighborhood, called Quayside. The 12-acre development — expected to cost at least $1 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal — will feature heated roadways and other innovations.
If the neighborhood is built as planned, it could be the largest tall timber development in the world, according to Bloomberg.
The new development has generated some criticism. Business Insider previously reported that residents felt Quayside could become a “new Silicon Valley,” leading to gentrification, income inequality, and higher housing prices.
After remaining quiet for several months about its exact plans for the Toronto waterfront, Sidewalk Labs shared a series of ideas for the development in a Tuesday announcement. Take a look.
Toronto, like many other cities, is struggling to maintain its socioeconomic diversity due to a rise in housing costs and congestion. Climate change is also contributing to the city’s challenges.
An aerial view of the site for Quayside.Sidewalk Toronto
Quayside, which used to be an industrial space and dockland, is Sidewalk Labs’ planned pilot location for testing what could be implemented on a larger scale.
The proposed modular housing, for example, could be used as a model for more neighborhoods that offer low-cost, quickly built residential spaces, according to Sidewalk Labs. The planned self-driving shuttles could form a transit system that doesn’t rely on private cars, and the neighborhood’s renewable energy system could act as a blueprint for other locations.
Sidewalk Labs has committed about $50 million to the project’s first phase, though the company is still waiting on a final approval.
Waterfront Toronto intends to build infrastructure that can help protect Quayside from flooding, and it received a $996 million investment from the local and national governments to support the project.
Quayside is one of the largest areas of underdeveloped urban land in North America. Sidewalk Labs plans on devoting 90% of the neighborhood to residential space, or about 3,000 units.
The entire neighborhood covers about 3 million square feet.
A sustainable building model is the first step toward creating an affordable neighborhood, according to Sidewalk Labs. The Alphabet subsidiary plans on using Canadian timber to achieve this.
Sidewalk Labs is interested in building all or most of Quayside’s buildings using tall timber.
Proponents of tall timber technology say the material is a viable replacement for steel and concrete because it is strong and fire-resistant. According to Sidewalk Labs, tall timber supports Canada’s timber industry, provides warmth to residential spaces, accelerates construction times, and saves money in the long run.
But tall timber comes with some restrictions. The Canadian construction code limits tall-timber buildings to six stories in order to avoid structural issues, so regulations would need to be amended for Quayside. Current timber supply chains also need to grow before they can support such a large construction project.
In addition to affordability, Sidewalk Labs is focusing on making Quayside buildings adaptable and sustainable.
The neighborhood design features units that can accommodate a range of household incomes.
Quayside’s buildings have also been designed to include centralized parking throughout the neighborhood. The buildings will feature green roofs to improve sustainability.
On the whole, Sidewalk Labs wants its buildings to be modular, and it believes this can be done at the same cost — or even less — as conventional buildings.
The Quayside proposal envisions a “bold” system of public spaces and connected waterfront parks.
Sidewalk Labs wants Toronto residents to double the number of hours they spend outdoors.
To facilitate that, Quayside will feature low-cost structures that can shield people from rain and wind. The ground floors of certain buildings will also be turned into interactive spaces where residents can move walls to suit their needs.
Sidewalk Labs is looking for innovative ways to improve transportation — both for pedestrians and vehicles.
Quayside’s streets will feature wide sidewalks, bike lanes, and a main road for cars and other transit.
Some paths for pedestrians and bikers may not be accessible to vehicles, and autonomous vehicles (AVs) would be restricted to bike speeds for deliveries and local access. Some lanes are designed for walking speed, requiring bikes to be walked and AVs to go about 5 mph at most.
The proposal also includes tall colonnades along the retail and public use areas to provide seasonal weather protection.
The neighborhood’s “public realm” — its parks, plazas, shops, and sidewalks — is designed to be comfortable all year long.
Quayside’s pavement will be made of conductive concrete that can melt snow and ice. It will feature precast slabs that can be maintained and replaced quickly, and LED lights will be used to signal changes in road use. Pavements will also include tree-filled zones that help absorb stormwater.
Dan Doctoroff, Sidewalk Labs’ CEO, believes the Quayside project can improve residents’ quality of life by creating more jobs and lowering carbon emissions.
“Quayside will be a prototype for a broader opportunity,” Doctoroff previously told Reuters. “What we’re trying to do, no one has really succeeded in doing. Thus far, I’ve been thrilled with the way things have gone … but I’m not sanguine about the challenges.”
Doctoroff has previously spoken about improving urban environments through self-driving cars, high-speed internet, and sensors that monitor noise and energy usage.
The waterfront project has been scrutinized by privacy experts, who have raised concerns about the company’s plan to collect data via sensors that monitor energy usage, noise, traffic, and pollution.
Experts say there is a need for safeguards that allow people to opt out of having their data be commodified. Sidewalk Labs says it wants to use data on how Quayside works to help make the neighborhood function better.
A board member of Waterfront Toronto resigned instead of signing the most recent deal, citing “numerous unanswered questions” about digital privacy and governance as part of her decision.
According to the current deal, Sidewalk Labs and Waterfront Toronto will come up with a final plan in 2019, though they can still opt out of it.
