The Porsche Experience Centre Toronto Is Coming — Here’s What to Expect
In a surprise announcement this morning, we’ve been informed that the Porsche Experience Centre Toronto is in the works, slated for construction as a part of the ongoing “Durham Live” development project that is currently underway in Pickering — roughly a 30 to 45 minute drive from the downtown core. Upon completion — with a current opening target of 2024 — this will be the 10th Porsche Experience Centre in the world, the first of its kind in Canada, and one of only three locations in North America alongside Atlanta and Los Angeles. That said, its location alongside this larger experiential arts and culture development dramatically sets the space apart from its other North American siblings, and is being dubbed the first “urban” version of this global concept. Unlike in Atlanta or LA, visitors can turn the trip into a more thorough luxury experience without having to drive across the city for dining, shopping, entertainment, and accommodations that align with what the Porsche Experience Centre Toronto is offering.
“Being located at the Durham Live entertainment district will offer Porsche enthusiasts a dynamic and complementary mix of excitement, gaming, culture, nightlife, cuisine, and adventure which will enhance the overall experience”
Steve Apostolopoulos, Managing Partner and President of Pickering Developments (owners of the Durham Live district)
For those less familiar with these facilities, there’s actually a fair bit of ground to cover here. First and foremost, while these facilities are a must-visit for any self purported Porsche enthusiast, they still have a lot to offer anyone who has an appreciation for the automotive world. First comes the on-track driving experiences, on a freshly built track designed specifically to showcase the performance of the brand’s entire model range. As it stands, the Los Angeles experience centre offers an off-road course as well as a traditional paved track, however whether or not that will be available in Toronto is TBD at this time. For the on-road component, drivers will be able to book track time in a broad range of Porsche vehicles, and even book comparative experiences where they will be able to compare all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive cars, or drive different performance variants of the Porsche 911 back to back.
Within the walls of the facility, the overall immersion into the Porsche ecosystem continues. A historic vehicle exhibition will be a mainstay of the facility, and likely one that will be refreshed on an ongoing basis. A thoughtfully designed café will also be present for people looking to sit back and relax after their driving experiences. Lastly, there will obviously be the requisite Porsche shop to tap into the latest brand swag, including offerings from the Porsche Design catalog.
For the architecture enthusiasts in the room, it’s worth noting that Porsche AG selected HOK to design this new Canadian landmark. Most notably recognized for their redesign of Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport, the Dalí Museum in Florida, and a certain stadium in Atlanta that bears the name of one of Porsche’s German competitors, HOK’s focus on the project is to incorporate innovative technologies with a clear focus on sustainability. To be fair, this is a sound approach when one of the site’s key activities involves mashing the throttle and burning gasoline for the sake of entertainment. Don’t get us wrong, we’re already asking to be first in line to do just that, come opening day.
