Recently news broke on UrbanToronto of a new 12-storey, 350,000 square foot office building under construction at Birchmount Road and Highway 407 which will serve as headquarters for Aviva Canada. The project represents just one of many steps toward the full materialization of a master plan for a new 'Downtown Markham' designed by Quadrangle Architects. In recognition that there is more to a downtown than a place for corporate headquarters, developers The Remington Group has decided to add a dash of whimsy to the plan's central plaza in the form of a carousel.

Downtown Markham Master Plan, courtesy of Quadrangle Architects

Site Plan for plaza in Downtown Markham, courtesy of Quadrangle Architects

The carousal, which is already under construction, has been designed by California-based sculptor, Patrick Amiot, and will feature a variety of original folk art pieces. Unlike typical carousels which usually feature only horses and chariots, Downtown Markham's will boast quirky seats in the form of fish, moose, ducks, skates and other Canadiana-themed objects.

Seats to be included in the carousel, image courtesy of Quadrangle Architects

Seats to be included in the carousel, image courtesy of Quadrangle Architects

The carousel will also feature a reflective ceiling inspired the Old Port Pavilion in Marseilles, France designed by Foster + Partners. 

Rendering of the carousel, courtesy of Quadrangle Architects

Work on the pavilion design is ongoing. Stay tuned with UrbanToronto for more updates as they come!

Rami Kozman is a commercial real estate lawyer in Toronto and can be found on Twitter at twitter.com/ramikozman.