Toronto Montessori Schools — Elgin Mills Campus
TORONTO, ONTARIO
Client: Toronto Montessori Schools
With: Farrow Partners
Completion: In Progress
Toronto Montessori Schools (TMS) is a not-for-profit independent school with two campuses in Richmond Hill and students ranging in age from 18 months to 18 years. The TMS Upper School Campus at Elgin Mills serves students from Grade 7 through grade 12 with the International Baccalaureate curriculum.
Quinn developed an engaging landscape design to complement the architecture
created by Farrow Partners. Phase one includes two outdoor spaces: a paved
courtyard with seating and planters linked to the new student commons and a second space that spills out from the dining hall addition. Quinn’s design responds to the existing landscape by preserving trees and takes advantage of the site’s classic amphitheatre landform to accommodate casual student gatherings and organized events.
The second phase includes an interior courtyard, visible from classrooms, that
features a sculptural design with seasonal interest. Paving in the space fronting Elgin Mills is sloped towards a bioswale that collects, filters, and transfers surface water run-off to an existing swale. Planted with a mix of ecologically-appropriate plants, the bioswale also serves as an educational example of environmental sustainability. Low walls and planter edges offer seating opportunities for casual
student gathering.