Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto recently unveiled Unfinished Arch, a new landmark public art installation in Toronto’s Sherbourne Common by 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 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 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.
Video & Images: Courtesy of Waterfront Toronto
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