Proposals by Heatherwick Studio and Norwegian practice Snøhetta that would redevelop a swathe of Toronto quayside have prompted controversy in Canada’s biggest city.

The firms have created plans for a timber-built quayside district of 3,000 new homes and business space to support 3,900 new jobs for Sidewalk Labs, which is the “urban innovation” business of Google parent company Alphabet.

Part of the proposals, for Toronto’s eastern waterfront, include a new Canadanian headquarters for the tech giant – suggested to be up to 232,000sq m – and plans to extend existing light rail links to the quayside area.

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