The King’s Landing is a twelve-store concrete mixed-use building overlooking Lake Ontario. The building displays on each floor as a series of receding terraces and run-rooms that face the South. It is located at the Harbour Front, on the corner of Queens Quay and Spadina Avenue, with views overlooking Marina Quay West, The Waterfront trail, the Toronto Music Garden, and the Toronto Islands.

The heritage value of the King’s Landing lies in its associative and architectural significance to the city of Toronto.

The King’s Landing is significant as a landmark project by internationally-acclaimed architect Arthur Erickson. A Vancouver native, Erickson’s obtained his first major commission in Toronto in 1973 with the design of the Yorkdale Subway Station followed by the design of the Roy Thomson Hall in 1982 and King’s landing completed in 1985. The importance of Arthur Erickson lays in the contribution of his work for the development and growth of Canada’s architectural profession in the late twentieth century. Erickson has been recognized as one of Canada’s most predominant architects. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada on December 14, 1941. Arthur Erickson’s architecture shows important consideration for the site, spatial and lighting quality. Additionally, the King’s Landing Condominium Complex was developed in collaboration with the firm Cowlen & Martin, who participated with Erickson on a number of projects.

King’s Landing was developed in a similar setting as the Evergreen Building in Vancouver, which is one of Erickson’s most significant works in an urban setting. The King’s Landing was completed in 1986, as part of the redevelopment for the Toronto Waterfront Competition which included the Federal Government’s Park. Wedged in between the Harbourfront and the Gardiner Expressway the building presented visual and auditory constraints. Erickson solved this problem by using a stepped configuration that allows the residential units to maximize natural lighting while allowing ample terraces and sun-rooms.

Key elements that define the heritage character of the King’s Landing building include its:

• Historical location with views overlooking the Toronto Island, Marina Quay West, the Spadina Quay Wetlands, and the Waterfront Trail.
• Free-standing form, scale and massing, tapered twelve-store height, flat roof and receding balconies that allow exterior balconies with views over Lake Ontario.
• Reinforced concrete construction, with the use of an exposed arcade that articulates the architectural grid creating portes coheres on the ground level appropriate to the luxurious residential setting.
• Exterior architectural details including stepped terraces, arcades, and projecting balconies on the south facade
• Regular fenestration: use of sun-rooms that are consistent with the sand-coloured window frames and pale green glazing.

• Architect - Arthur Erickson Architectural Corporation  <-- More buildings by this architect.
• Architect - Cowle & Martin  <-- More buildings by this architect.
• Concrete supplier - Canada Building Materials Co.
• Concrete supplier - Tri-Krete Ltd.
• Electrical contractor - Falco Electric Co.
• Formwork - Verdi Group
• Heating installation - Falco Plumbing & Heating Contracting Ltd.
• Steel supplier - Harris Rebar
• Structural engineer - Rand Engineering Corp.
• Structural engineer - Rybka, Smith & Ginsler
• Window supplier - Allan Window Systems