The Vista on Sparks, Ottawa
Ottawa, ON
Located in the heart of the historic Cathedral Hill neighborhood in Ottawa, The Vista on Sparks blends a modern residential tower with a street steeped in history.
The Vista on Sparks is a retirement residence at 70 Sparks Street in downtown Ottawa, built directly beside a 19th-century stone cathedral in the city's Cathedral Hill neighborhood. The project pairs a modern residential tower with a heritage streetscape, and its landscaped public realm earned an Award of Merit for Public Places and Civic Space at the 2025 Ottawa Heritage and Urban Design Awards.
Urban Pot supplied the custom planter system used throughout the project, from the street-level promenade along Sparks Street to a rooftop terrace on the 18th floor.
A custom planter system built to match a heritage context
Working from architectural drawings for the site, Urban Pot manufactured 18 custom planters across 15 distinct designs, sized and shaped to fit the building's stone piers, sidewalk furnishings, and terrace layout.
Streetscape integration: designed to sit alongside the site's stone pier bases and existing heritage stonework along Sparks Street.
Rooftop terrace planters: a dedicated planter group was engineered for the 18th floor rooftop terrace, supporting trees and plantings well above street level.
Custom sizing: 15 unique planter models were produced, several in multiple units, to follow the sidewalk's varied planting bed shapes and dimensions.
Recognized with an Ottawa Heritage and Urban Design Award
In 2025, the project — submitted as the Cathedral Hill Retirement Residence — received the Award of Merit for Public Places and Civic Space from the City of Ottawa's Heritage and Urban Design Awards program. The award recognizes projects that strengthen the public realm around heritage buildings.
The project team recognized for the award included:
Reichmann International Development Corporation
Hobin Architecture Incorporated
CSW Landscape Architects Limited
Fotenn Planning + Design
Cunliffe & Associates Consulting Structural Engineers
Smith + Andersen
Photos
Our expertise: From design to installation
The success of a residential project hinges on perfect coordination. At Urban Pot, our rigorous process eliminates any friction:
Design : translating your vision into precise technical plans.
Manufacturing : handcrafted production using premium quality materials.
Logistics : Expert delivery and installation for a turnkey solution. Our design and manufacturing team will guide you from the initial sketch to the final installation. Contact our experts for a quote.