Incomplete by Design: Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's Unfinished Arch Opens at Sherbourne Common
Official unveiling expands Toronto's waterfront public art collection with a striking new cultural landmark
TORONTO, June 1, 2026 /CNW/ - Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto today unveiled Unfinished Arch, a striking new landmark public art installation in Toronto's Sherbourne Common by acclaimed artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. The installation marks a meaningful addition to the waterfront's public art collection, reinforcing Toronto's eastern waterfront as a cultural destination.
Standing nine metres tall, Unfinished Arch cantilevers dramatically over a distance of 14 meters from a single support point in the ground. Visitors are invited to complete the arch by touching its truncated, floating edge, triggering an illumination that brings it to life.
Fabricated by Eventscape, a leader in custom art + architectural fabrication, the installation conceals extraordinary complexity below ground. The 25,000-pound stainless steel structure is anchored nearly 50 feet into the waterfront site, with Eventscape's precision engineering and careful site execution bringing this technically complex work to life.
That same attention to detail is extended to accessibility -- Unfinished Arch is the first public art commission reviewed by Waterfront Toronto's Accessibility Advisory Committee, whose feedback shaped the circulation paths, clearances, and interaction zones around the work. The truncated end is stepped so visitors of different heights and abilities, including wheelchair users, can reach it, and multiple participants can collaborate to complete the gesture simultaneously. Tactile paving indicators guide visitors to the interaction point, and a subtle auditory cue (a quiet ticking sound near the lowest point of the cantilever) helps visitors who are blind or have low vision locate it. Together, these features reflect the principles of the Waterfront Accessibility Design Guidelines and ensure the work is truly welcoming to all.
Selected through an international call for proposals, Unfinished Arch reflects Rafael Lozano‑Hemmer's distinctive approach to activating public space through human interaction and light, and marks a significant milestone as his first permanent public artwork in Canada. Unfinished Arch serves as the centrepiece of the East Bayfront Public Art Master Plan, joining Light Showers by Jill Anholt and LIGHTKEEPER by Caitlind r.c. Brown, Wayne Garrett, and Studio North, to create a carefully curated collection of destination artworks. Together, these installations animate public space, foster shared experiences, and position Toronto's waterfront as a must-see destination.
"Enhancing the vibrancy of Toronto's waterfront is central to our mission, and public art is one of the most powerful tools for achieving that. Great public art doesn't just beautify a space -- it creates moments of reflection and shared experience that make a neighbourhood feel truly alive. I believe Unfinished Arch has the makings of one of those rare works that becomes genuinely iconic -- the kind of piece people seek out, photograph themselves with, and carry with them long after they leave." -- George Zegarac, President and CEO, Waterfront Toronto
"Unfinished Arch is an anti-monument. It takes the techno-optimism of a mid-century modernist arch and leaves it deliberately truncated, asking the public to physically complete what would otherwise collapse. The work reflects on the unfinished project of modernity and our collective responsibility for imagining what comes next." -- Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Artist
"I'm thrilled to welcome Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's Unfinished Arch landmark art piece to the East Bayfront. Accessible and interactive public art is vital to making creative experiences available to all as we continue to build this extraordinary new waterfront community together." -- Deputy Mayor Malik, Councillor Ward 10 (Spadina-Fort York)
"As an artwork that relies on public participation to exist, Unfinished Arch redefines what public art can be. Eventscape is proud to have played a part in realizing Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's first permanent public artwork in Canada. What appears effortless above ground is supported by extraordinary complexity below: a 30-foot-tall, 25,000 lb stainless-steel cantilevered structure anchored nearly 50 feet into the waterfront site. Working closely with Rafael, and the committed team at Waterfront Toronto, we are honoured to have contributed our craft, engineering, and problem-solving to help bring this monumental destination artwork to Toronto's waterfront" -- Trent Baker, Project Director - Public Art, Eventscape
About Waterfront Toronto
Created in 2001, Waterfront Toronto is the revitalization corporation leading the transformation of Toronto's waterfront. Working with the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, and the City of Toronto, in partnership with Indigenous communities and the private sector, we deliver the infrastructure and development needed to unlock new housing, connect communities through transit, and create vibrant destinations. Waterfront Toronto is building complete, connected communities that support economic growth, expand housing opportunities, and enhance quality of life. Learn more: www.waterfrontoronto.ca
About Rafael Lozano-Hemmer
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer was born in Mexico City in 1967, lives and works in Montréal. A Mexican-Canadian media artist, he creates platforms for public participation by using technologies such as robotic lights, digital fountains, computerized surveillance, media walls, and telematic networks. Inspired by phantasmagoria, carnival, and animatronics, his interactive works are "anti-monuments for people to self-represent. Please read further on his website: www.lozano-hemmer.com
About Atelier Lozano-Hemmer
Atelier Lozano-Hemmer is an artist studio in Montréal dedicated to the development and presentation of media art. Established in 2003, the studio comprises a team of twenty-six full-time employees from ten countries--architects, programmers, artists, scientists, writers, designers and musicians. The team is split between Antimodular Research, an R&D company; Vectorial, a production company; and Antimetric Institute, a non-profit organization. The Atelier is proud to run a progressive environment featuring gender equity, an active social practice, and continuing philanthropic projects.
About Eventscape
Eventscape is an award-winning art + architectural fabrication company with three manufacturing facilities totaling 130,000 square feet in Toronto and a 20,000 square foot studio in New York City. For over 30 years, Eventscape has partnered with artists, architects and designers to bring ambitious interior and exterior works to life through advanced parametric modelling and state-of-the-art fabrication. Its integrated design, engineering and fabrication teams deliver comprehensive turnkey solutions from concept development through installation. Using a broad range of materials and technologies, including metal, wood, glass, resin, textiles and integrated lighting, Eventscape creates bespoke facades, ceilings, statement walls and public art installations across North America. www.eventscape.com
SOURCE Waterfront Toronto
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