Public Art Strategy & Integration
Vaughan, Ontario | 2021–Present
Client: Cortel Group
Prime Architect: BDP Quadrangle
Landscape Architect: DTAH
Public Art: Alan Tregebov & Joanne Heinen
Artist Mentee: Kha Den De (Lera)
DEXD Team: Gelare Danaie, Karen Zwart Hielema, Daniel Puppin
Project Status: Artwork installed; water clock mechanism in final stages of implementation.
Project Overview
Integrating Art, Place, and Community
Located in the heart of Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, CG Tower is the fifth and final phase of Cortel Group’s Expo City development.
Situated near the intersection of Highway 7 and Jane Street, overlooking Edgeley Pond and Park, the site provides a prominent setting for public art at a gateway to one of the emerging downtown’s major urban parks.
The installation celebrates the transformation of the neighbourhood, drawing on its industrial heritage to create a distinctive cultural landmark that contributes to the identity and character of Expo City.
DEXD provided public art strategy and integration services, supporting the relationship between the artwork, architecture, landscape, and surrounding public realm to enhance the experience of residents, visitors, and the broader community.
Image courtesy of BDP Quadrangle
Concept & Artistic Vision
A Reflection on Industry, Transformation, and Time
Inspired by the industrial history of the area, the artwork explores themes of transformation and the passage of time through a sculptural interpretation of a water clock.
The installation incorporates a composition of structural elements and water tanks, translating the concept of time into a physical and animated experience.
Designed to collect rainwater, the water clock mechanism uses the movement and accumulation of water to animate the installation, connecting the artwork to natural cycles and the passage of time.
The result is a public art installation that brings together the neighbourhood’s industrial past and its evolving urban identity, creating a meaningful connection between history, environment, and contemporary placemaking.
The sculptural components have been fully installed, while the water clock mechanism is currently in the final stages of implementation.
From Concept to Installation
A Collaborative Approach to Public Art
Developed as part of the City of Vaughan Public Art Program, the project brings together artists, designers, and project stakeholders to integrate public art into the evolving urban environment of Vaughan Metropolitan Centre.
Artists Alan Tregebov and Joanne Heinen were selected to create the artwork for the CG Tower site, with emerging artist Kha Den De (Lera) participating through an artist mentorship initiative.
The project evolved through concept development, design coordination, fabrication, and installation, requiring careful consideration of the artwork’s relationship to the surrounding architecture, landscape, and public spaces.
DEXD’s involvement in public art strategy and integration contributed to positioning the installation as part of the broader experience of Expo City, rather than as an isolated artistic element.
With the main sculptural installation now in place, the artwork establishes a recognizable landmark within the development. The remaining work on the water clock mechanism will complete its intended animated dimension.
CG Tower main floor looking out to sculpture location. From l-r, Peter Cortelluci, (Cortel Group), Alan Tregebov (artist team), Lera (artist mentee), 2022
Project Gallery
Fabrication and installation progress, 2024
