Toronto's iconic skyline is about to get an epic wood building (RENDERINGS)

The Arbour/Shigeru Ban Architects & Brook McIlroy Inc

Toronto is about to be home to the province’s first wood building.

Last year, George Brown College purchased waterfront land from the City of Toronto. Their intention was to construct the Ontario’s first Tall Wood institutional building. The plan is to build a 12-storey, carbon neutral facility will be home to a Tall Wood Building Research Institute.

And in the fall, the College launched an international design competition to undertake the project.

On Thursday, George Brown announced the architectural/design firms are set to showcase their innovative concepts for the construction of The Arbour.

“Poised to bring the first tall wood structure to Toronto’s skyline, The Arbour joins George Brown College’s existing LEED gold certified Daphne Cockwell Centre for Health Sciences as an example of its continued commitment to sustainable development and green building construction,” reads a release by the College. “Once built, students and researchers will learn to design, construct, operate and monitor climate-friendly buildings.”

The new building will include research facilities, George Brown’s Centre for Information and Computer Technology to support and complement the City of Toronto’s Smart City initiative, and a new child care facility.

The presenting architectural/design firms are Moriyama & Teshima Architects + Acton Ostry Architects, Patkau Architects + MJMA, Provencher Roy + Turner Fleischer, and Shigeru Ban + Brook McIlroy.

Firms will present their wood designs next week, with the winner being announced on March 28.

Check out each firm’s design below.