0390
Railside at the Forks
Winnipeg, MB
net zero masterplan
44, 515 sqm [including 139,354 of developed area]
on-going
$300M
Scatliff + Miller + Murray
The Forks Renewal Corporation
At the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, The Forks has been a gathering place for over six millennia and is located on the original lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anisininew, Dakota and Lakota peoples and the National Homeland of the Red River Metis. For much of the 20th century, the site served as an active railyard until its decline in the late 1980s. Over the past three decades, it has been transformed into Winnipeg’s foremost all-season destination through a layered, mixed-use program of recreational, cultural, institutional, and commercial uses.
Railside occupies two of the largest remaining surface parking lots in downtown Winnipeg, representing the final undeveloped 11 acres within The Forks’ mandate. The Railside Masterplan introduces year-round residential life to the site for the first time, envisioning a built fabric between that of a small village and a historic main street. Mid-rise buildings are arranged around a sequence of public squares and linked by a fine-grain network of shared alleyways. Short blocks, curbless edges, and narrow rights-of-way shift priority toward pedestrians and cyclists while accommodating multiple modes of movement.
When complete, the neighbourhood will house approximately 1,200 mixed-income housing units along with locally rooted retail, commercial, and hospitality spaces, all anchored by generous public realm spaces designed for both passive enjoyment and active programming. Drawing on lessons from the world’s most walkable cities, Railside is shaped by bold environmental, social, and economic ambitions and by a commitment to strengthen the authenticity of The Forks. The master plan is designed to seamlessly integrate into its surrounding context, extending connections to nearby downtown districts while responding to challenges that include proximity to an active rail line, significant archaeological potential, and contaminated soils — each addressed through careful navigation of municipal, provincial, and federal requirements.
Awards: 2019 APR Urban Design and Architecture Design Award Winner
Press:
2019
Railside at The Forks | Canadian Architect | July
