8 Spadina prominently anchors The Well, a new, pedestrian-oriented mixed-use neighbourhood in downtown Toronto. The airy quality of the ground floor, made possible by the design flexibility afforded by a side-loaded elevator core, enables pedestrian flow through and between spaces, forming an access point into the centre of the master plan. The building consists of 34 storeys of offices atop a three-level retail podium; the building is a gateway between the shops, residences, and businesses of The Well and the nearby Financial District.
The tower is not designed to look like other downtown office buildings. With its location in the King West neighbourhood, this building needed to be different from the office towers in the Financial District. Matching the industrial context of the neighbourhood, a modern industrial aesthetic of exposed post and beam structure, exposed stairways, and macro-scale façade details harmonizes with the building’s context of railways and contemporary high-rises. Terracing upwards, the form of the building relates to the skyscrapers of downtown, maximizes daylight on Clarence Square, and allows for a diversity of floorplates. This building's floorplates range from smaller, boutique-sized to oversized ones, creating office spaces unlike any other in Toronto.
