Waterfront Toronto, alongside Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, has been honoured for the sustainable design of its Lower Don Lands project.

The new development, one aspect of Waterfront Toronto's 8000-hectare central waterfront transformation, recently received the 2008 Royal Architecture Institute of Canada's (RAIC) Sustainable Development Award.

The award is designed to recognize the role urban design and architectural excellence play in maintaining and enhancing the quality of life in Canadian cities.

The award judges chose the Lower Don Lands project because of its ecologically based and environmentally sensitive approach, which provides a long-term evolutionary strategy for sustainable development.

The vision behind the Lower Don Lands is to turn the currently unused central waterfront site into a sustainable "green" city where city, lake and river interact in a dynamic and balanced relationship.

"Waterfront Toronto is driven by an integrated approach to transforming the central waterfront land," said John Campbell, the organization's president and CEO.

"RAIC's recognition of Waterfront Toronto with the Sustainable Development award shows that waterfront Toronto's commitment to design excellence is not just an aspiration but a realization in the Lower Don Lands design."

The Lower Don Lands project is set to break ground in 2009.