Snowcone

with Diana Koncan & many others

2015
Kew Beach, Toronto


Built with friends and volunteers from TMU’s Deptartment of Architectural Science & Design Fabrication Zone. Special thanks to Caleigh Kinch, Kate Myers, Lisa Boulatova, Nate Mendiola, Frank Bowen, Naveed Khan, and many other friends, family, and DAS colleagues for your help with building and installing this in -26 weather, and all your support



Toronto constantly struggles with the challenge of designing for polar extremes. The inaugural 2015 Winterstations competition picked 5 designs to reanimate the lifeless lifeguard stations and underutilized beaches in the winter.
Snowcone’s design is one that is temporary (easily deployed on a snow-covered sandy beach in -15 C weather), that looks enticing enough to bring visitors out to said -15 C snowscape, and that is warm enough to keep them there...with no heat or power! It strategically captures the warmth of the sun like a stained glass greenhouse, utilizes the insulative properties of snow to contain visitors’ body heat, blocks off the lake’s harsh winds, and turns an eye-catching face toward the boardwalk.
Repetitive, modular units were fastened with simple nuts + bolts and zip-ties for speedy assembly and disassembly.
Rhino 3D modelling
CNC programming + milling
Cut + hydraulic press + drill holes + deburr
Heat bending
Assembly
Transport
Coordination
Installation in -15 weather
It takes a village!
Shielding wind from the lake (South face)
Opening up to the boardwalk (North face)

Awarded the Toronto Urban Design Award of Excellence. I was invited back to join the Winterstations team as a juror in 2016 and 2025



Photos & Videos:

Remi Carreiro
Ashley Seale
Amina Lalor
Lisa Boulatova
Farah Elmajdoub
Lily Jeon


Links: