A stunning new installation will soon breathe new life into a Toronto park following an international design competition to select the new art piece.

Waterfront Toronto announced the winning bid from Mexican-Canadian media artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer for an arch that floats precariously over Sherbourne Common, with this new glowing permanent installation to be known as Unfinished Arch.

Unfinished Arch will mark the first permanent work in Canada by the acclaimed artist, and visuals shared by Waterfront Toronto suggest that this new art piece will become the city's latest Instagrammable photo-op spot.

We’re excited to announce that Unfinished Arch by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer has been selected as the new permanent art piece at the south end of Sherbourne Common following an international call for proposals. Learn more: https://t.co/meutpSbvT3. pic.twitter.com/eEAJyfgomI

— Waterfront Toronto (@WaterfrontTO) April 4, 2024

Described as a "participatory artwork," this nine-metre-tall installation will hover over the southern lawn of Sherbourne Common, inviting visitors to interact with the floating, or "unfinished," end of the arch.

Visitors who touch the floating end of the arch will trigger an internal lighting mechanism that will illuminate the arch until the user breaks contact.

While public art is already plentiful in the nascent East Bayfront district, the newly-revealed art installation is described by Waterfront Toronto as "the destination piece within the East Bayfront Master Public Art Plan."

Lozano-Hemmer explains that "Unfinished Arch alludes to the familiar paraboloid shape found in many mid-century modern arches, and its perplexing, truncated nature gives way to a civic engagement: visitors may wish to 'complete' the arch by stretching their arms to ground it."

The artist adds that "the project was designed with accessibility in mind: visitors of all heights can reach the suspended end of the arch, while tactile pavement tiles and a locator tone help guide the visually impaired."

The new destination selfie spot is anticipated to be completed in summer 2025.