Five minutes with Urban Capital's David Wex
1. Where did the idea for Smart House originate?
When we purchased this condominium property, we knew that we were acquiring a top-notch site, but also that we were paying top dollar and as a result couldn't just launch a typical condo project and hope to compete on price alone. We knew that to make this work we would need to be "smarter" than the other developments on the market, and from there we quickly ended up with a project where the unrelenting focus has been on being "smart."
2. What inspires you most about the vision?
What I am most excited about is the possibility of "pushing the envelope" in matters of design both big and small; about sitting down and really thinking about the spaces and buildings we create. So we have focused as much on small but important details such as eliminating empty pipe spaces in kitchens and bathrooms - a matter of inches - as we have on the overall building massing and design. We have spent a huge amount of time looking at floor plan efficiency, functional yet beautiful furniture, and the latest in "smart" technologies. It's been really refreshing to take a step back and ask questions about the most basic aspects of our condo designs.
3. The fact that you offer micro-condos is a huge draw. Is the trend here to stay?
Absolutely. The entire world is urbanizing. More and more people are moving to cities, where the future lies, and we need to think of better ways to house them in less space. With Smart House we are innovating here in Toronto, but for sure we are going to take what we learn here and apply it to our other Canadian markets, like Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and Winnipeg. And other developers in other countries have the same vision.
4. Do you have a philosophy when it comes to design and development that you always follow?
Our company's tag-line is "Forward Thinking Development", and this didn't just come from some marketing agency - I believe it actually reflects what we try to do — which is to continuously innovate and improve our product. We are constantly looking for new, smarter and better ways of designing and constructing our buildings, and at new markets for our urban living concepts.
5. If Smart House were a person, what characteristics would he/she have?
Tough question! I think he or she would be smart, obviously, but not necessarily in some academic way - more street-smart and cool. I think he or she would be confident in who they are, not showy, and open to new ideas and new ways of living life big and small. They wouldn't be burdened down in life with lots of possessions, but the possessions they had they would really love. They would live life fully, but not wastefully.
6. Favourite spot at Queen & University?
This is an easy one for me — it would be the Queen Mother. Because it has been a fixture on Queen West for forever - it was here when I first came to Toronto in the early 1980s. It was cool back then and it is cool now - it hasn't changed at all!
Smart House is a project by Urban Capital and Malibu. Like what you see? Don't forget to register here.
