Whether you consider yourself to be an “outdoorsy” person or not, there’s no denying we all need time spent outside of our abodes — taking in the fresh air, the sunshine and being ensconced in nature are vital to our health and well-being. In fact, there are hundreds of studies that tout the plethora of benefits we receive when we’re not cooped up inside. Getting outdoors promotes both physical and mental wellness — it makes us move and interrupts our sedentary lifestyles, it helps our immunity, lowers our blood pressure, decreases stress and anxiety, it boosts our mood and supports social interaction.
It makes sense, then, that the leadership at Tridel, a trailblazer in condominium building for more than 85 years, has turned its focus to providing residents with greater access to outdoor-living amenities. “We’ve been doing this for a long time, and we always look forward to the future — we look for elements of the market that may be underserved compared to other areas, and what we found was that homeowners want more space outdoors,” says Samson Fung, the company’s vice-president of sales and marketing. “Condos have long had the reputation of being shoeboxes in the sky — tiny spaces built for renters or those looking for a starter home, but that’s no longer the case. We started looking at it from a different angle several years ago and found a big segment of the market were people who lived in larger homes for decades but were ready to ‘smart size’ after their kids left home into something that made more sense for their lifestyle,” he explains. “These people didn’t want to give up the big backyards they enjoyed in their homes, so we knew that creating a product offering that gave them the feeling of a private outdoor space would accommodate the growing demand.”
So, Tridel brought this focus to their Scala project in North York’s Bayview Village area, which is set against a lush ravine and parks with trails. This building’s exterior amenities feature not only spacious terraces, but an infinity pool and hot tub, chaise lounges, a firepit, yoga area and barbecues. “We completed Scala and repeated the same formula over the last number of years with other projects, including our Aquabella building in Toronto and the Harbourwalk at Lakeview Village project on Mississauga’s waterfront,” says Fung.
“THEY’RE ENSURING RESIDENTS AREN’T JUST HAPPY IN THEIR CONDOS, BUT THEY’RE PUTTING WELLNESS FRONT AND CENTRE. THAT’S CERTAINLY A BENEFIT FOR EVERYONE”.
The latter is an exceptional master-planned community designed to enhance residents’ enjoyment of living on the lake. “We’re really gearing our architecture toward providing larger outdoor spaces, and we know there’s a need for them that was amplified with the pandemic. We started focusing on increasing outdoor areas and amenities back in 2016 and COVID-19 reinforced the fact that we were on the right track,” he says. When it comes to Harbourwalk, the building is designed so that each terrace steps down toward the waterfront. What’s more, these are more than the balconies we once associated with condo living — the average terrace is about 1,000 square feet, which offers residents almost as much living space outdoors as inside. As for shared amenities, Tridel has perfected providing a resort-like atmosphere. “A big part of our design strategy with the common areas outdoors was to celebrate resort and waterfront living, so not only does that include a pool and lounge area, but also things like barbecues with private dining areas and outdoor party room seating,” he says. “It also includes a 57,000-square-foot courtyard where people can meet, relax and exercise. We thought it would be beautiful to walk through and enjoy as a resident and as a neighbour, with its manicured landscaping and communal feel. It’s a really nice feature.”
Whether it’s the expansive views, sprawling terraces, curated amenities or the fact that so many of Tridel’s communities are near walking trails and highly coveted green spaces in busy cities, they’re ensuring residents aren’t just happy in their condos, but they’re putting wellness front and centre. That’s certainly a benefit for everyone.
