Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates selected as winner of YZD Runway Roadmap

Northcrest Developments has announced that Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA) has been selected as the winner of the YZD Runway Roadmap competition, marking a major milestone in the transformation of the former Downsview Airport lands.

At the heart of the 370-acre, $30 billion urban redevelopment project, the 2.1-kilometre Runway will be reimagined as a vibrant, pedestrian-first public space — connecting YZD’s seven planned mixed-use neighbourhoods and setting a new standard for inclusive city-building in Toronto.

“Reimagining The Runway was one of the first and most pivotal decisions we made when conceiving the vision for YZD,” said Derek Goring, CEO of Northcrest Developments. “MVVA’s shared commitment to design excellence, social impact, and environmental stewardship makes them the perfect firm to lead this critical next stage as The Runway continues to come to life.”

MVVA, the internationally acclaimed landscape architecture firm behind Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York, Maggie Daley Park in Chicago, and Toronto’s Corktown Common, will lead the development of design guidelines that will shape The Runway’s long-term transformation.

“We’re thrilled to be chosen to lead the roadmap to help transform YZD’s 2.1-kilometre Runway from asphalt into a vibrant corridor and the future heart of a series of new neighbourhoods,” said Emily Mueller De Celis, Partner at MVVA. “This competition was a rare and exciting opportunity to shape a new kind of public realm in Toronto that prioritizes place and people.”

“The design guidelines for The Runway allow us to create a playbook with structure and substance, while still giving it the flexibility to evolve alongside the communities it will serve.” added Gullivar Shepard, Partner at MVVA.

Launched in October 2024, the Runway Roadmap competition drew significant global interest — with 47 submissions from over 150 design and placemaking firms across 20 countries.

From that pool, five shortlisted teams presented their frameworks to Northcrest and a jury chaired by Toronto-based urban designer Ken Greenberg.

“The outpouring of submissions was unprecedented,” said Greenberg. “MVVA’s proposal stood out for its deep understanding of the intricacy and complexity required to shape guidelines for The Runway’s design vision. These guidelines will establish a design language that future partners will follow to ensure YZD’s ambitious placemaking principles become reality.”

MVVA joins a growing list of world-renown collaborators helping to shape YZD, including Henning Larsen, HR&A Advisors, eDesign Dynamics, Lord Cultural Resources, Belleville Placemaking, Bruce Mau Design, Indigenous-owned Trophic Design, and Urban Strategies — as well as design firms KPMB Architects, SLA, Perkins Eastman, S9 Architecture, Zeidler Architecture, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), and Field Operations.

“The Runway is where the essence of YZD truly comes alive,” said Goring. “As we look ahead to breaking ground on the first phase of YZD in early 2026, we’re also laying the groundwork for The Runway’s future.”

Led by Northcrest Developments, YZD represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform 370 acres of former airport lands into a new model for sustainable, inclusive urban development.

Learn more about YZD by visiting the project’s website at https://www.yzd.ca