Axess Condominiums

Project team

Architect
BDP Quadrangle

Client
Liberty Hamlets Inc.

service

Completion

Design Only

The Project

Axess Condominiums is a game-changing project in Pickering, Ontario that will set new standards for inclusive design in the residential market. The two-22-storey tower development capitalizes on a growing need for accessible housing in the Durham Region which has a waitlist of over 18,000 people.

The client, Liberty Hamlets Inc., has a background in working with young adults with disabilities and has envisioned a vibrant new community that seamlessly integrates design strategies for people living with cognitive and physical disabilities, young families, and those aging in place.

Human Space has been involved in design consultations from the earliest stages of project planning, working closely with the architectural and interior design team for a seamlessly integrated design process.

Its many features include the following:

100% of the suites are barrier-free at a minimum. An additional 15% of the suites have been designed to a higher standard for accessibility called Axess Plus;
An area of refuge (with daylight access) is provided on every floor that serves as community space in non-emergencies;
A ground floor café teaches life and employment skills to young adults with cognitive disabilities;
A second floor Enhanced Day Program provides day-to-day support for families and young adults living with cognitive disabilities;
Lobby and amenity spaces are designed for community activities, and;
A sensory garden and a service animal area provides outdoor space for residents and visitors.

Project Images

Axess Condominiums is a groundbreaking new residential in Pickering that is raising the bar for condominium design by embedding accessibility and inclusion as core design priorities.

entrance to Axess Condominiums showing people of varying abilities mingling in the landscaped front courtyard

The Enhanced Day Program provides day-to-day support for families and young adults living with cognitive disabilities.

rendering of people of a range of abilities including a pregnant woman and a man with artificial legs at a cafe with an accessible check out counter, flexible seating, and at-grade glazed entry

The cafe located at grade will partner with the Enhanced Day Program to employ program participants, providing opportunities to learn important social and job skills.

a woman jogs, and a couple pushes a person in a wheelchair in the courtyard of Axess Condominiums, its stylish interior lobby visible in the background through ground-floor glazing

Human Space worked with BDP Quadrangle's architecture and interior design teams on the design from the earliest stages of the project, allowing for a seamlessly integrated process.

an older woman and a younger woman preparing a meal at their kitchen island in a modern condominium

100% (compared to the required 15%) of the suites meet the barrier-free provisions of the Ontario Building Code, while 15% of these suites have been designed to a new and higher standard for accessibility called Axess-Plus.