[From The Toronto Star, click here to read the original story.]

Try this on for size: a 30,000-square-foot outdoor oasis, big enough for a swimming pool with sun deck, yoga and exercise space, lush park, kids’ play area, barbecues, dog park and meandering walkway.

“We have three times what a typical 10-storey condo would have,” developer Freddy Mak said about the “bold strategy” to incorporate that magnitude of outdoor amenity space at 8188 Yonge Condos, planned for an upscale neighbourhood in Thornhill.

“You don’t usually get that unless it’s a very large project with several towers,” added development partner Robert Hiscox.

While they had always envisioned a large area geared to a healthy lifestyle, COVID-19 helped define what would go in the thoughtfully curated and landscaped space, explained Mak, vice-president of business development for Toronto-based Trulife Developments.

“During the pandemic we saw a real need for not-crowded outdoor spaces,” he said, predicting the demand for enhanced fresh-air amenities will continue to grow.

Trulife and Hiscox’s firm, Constantine Enterprises Inc., have pulled out the stops to maximize residents’ access to the outdoors. Among the highlights are generously-sized, terraced balconies with optional customized design packages to reflect natural settings. There’s also a shared wraparound 6th-floor roof terrace for relaxing and entertaining.

“To have space within your own confines to breathe and exist comfortably is important these days,” said Hiscox, Constantine’s co-founder and CEO.

Indeed, homes are enjoying a new-found importance with purchasers looking for more outdoor, personal and work space, according to the real estate industry.

Count Harvey Lim among them. The coronavirus has underlined the notion that “home isn’t a place where you just live anymore,” said the young professional, noting it’s also become his workplace and sanctuary.

The 8188 Yonge project’s focus on health and wellness resonates with Lim, who works in downtown Toronto, lives in midtown and is thinking about upsizing while escaping the “busy-ness” of the city.

“A large outdoor space that’s an extension of your home is quite appealing,” he said. “It’s nice to just have an outdoor space and greenery around you, away from noise pollution.”

Having lived in his current one-bedroom condo for 3-1/2 years, Lim is now considering a bigger space — potentially with a family in mind. The Thornhill condos would offer convenient access to the city by public transit and car, as well as the neighbourhood walkability he enjoys now. He also likes the idea of a private bespoke balcony that could function as an outdoor living room.

The boutique development will sit on the southwest corner of Yonge and Uplands Ave., close to Hwys. 407 and 7, and future Yonge-extension subway stops, and a 20-minute commute to downtown.

Designed in two sections joined by a six-storey podium, the 10-storey tower will comprise 282 units of one to three bedrooms, ranging from 480 to 1,750 square feet.

There will also be 10 luxury penthouses with private rooftop terraces, seven two-storeytownhomes with large patios, and ground-floor retail space. Prices start in the high $400,000s with sales expected to launch this month.

Indoor amenities will include a state-of-the-art fitness centre, two lounging and entertainment areas with kitchens, and several glass-walled co-working pods.

The project presented the right opportunity to join forces for the first time, according to the developers. The new build in the “very, very private and exclusive” Uplands community of $3-million single-family homes will overlook parks and golf courses, said Mak. Hiscox called it a “fantastic location with beautiful views.”

Landscape architect Joaquin Sevillano of Land Art Design worked in tandem with architectural firm ZO1 to create a naturally flowing, consistent design throughout the building and outside. The effect is “refined, peaceful and with a sense of luxury,” according to Sevillano.

The 30,000-square-foot amenity space will offer “complete lifestyle support,” he said. “All the things people like to do in the city, from mental relaxation and physical exercise to an urban nightlife moment.”

Sevillano is particularly pleased about the inclusion of mature trees in the “forest garden” — a privately owned space the public can use. Populated with outdoor furniture, decorative elements and reflective metal sculptures, the area will have a “Yorkville-esque vibe,” he said. A walkway will weave through it to Yonge Street’s shops, cafes and restaurants.

Sevillano said the custom balcony design packages include furniture, lighting, accent pieces and finishes that provide a cohesive look in one of three themes: garden, forest and ocean.

The forest package, for example, has a “woodland vibe” with stone and wood flooring, stone planters, trellises, draping vines and soft-coloured fabrics, he explained.

The developers have also included environmental and health-conscious features such as high-tech heating and cooling systems, recycled rain water for irrigation, and a “clean condo initiative” that utilizes upgraded water and air filtration systems.

8188 Yonge Condos

Location: 8188 Yonge St. at Uplands Ave., Thornhill

Developer: Trulife Developments and Constantine Enterprises Inc.

Architect: ZO1; Landscape architect: Land Art Design; Interior designer: Figure3

Suites: 282 units, from 480 to 1,750 sq. ft. One-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom layouts (some with a den or additional space)plus 10 luxury 1,500-2,200 sq. ft. penthouses and seven, two-storey1,350-1,900 sq. ft. townhomes. Prices for condo suites start in the high $400,000s.

Amenities: 30,000 square feet of outdoor amenity space with yoga area, swimming pool with sun deck and cabanas, barbecues, children’s play area, dog park; 24-hour concierge; sixth-floor indoor and outdoor entertainment spaces with kitchens; gym and wellness centre; library/media room; indoor kids’ play zone; co-working spaces

Tentative occupancy: Fall 2023

Info: Sales launch this month; register at 8188yonge.com. Sales centre at 8150 Yonge St.