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05/12 canadian architect 7

cOVer The aTrium of Vaughan CiTy hall by Kuwabara Payne mCKenna blumberg arChiTeCTs. PhoTo by maris mezulis.

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Groupleadsdesignofmixed-usetowerinVancouver;RecoveringthePasttoCreateaMoreSustainableFuture—asummerprograminItalysponsoredbytheRAICandtheDepartmentofArchitectureattheUniversityofFerrara.

53 calendar CONTACT2012PhotographyFestivalin

Toronto;2012RAICFestivalofArchitec-tureinSt.John’s,Newfoundland.

54 Backpage AlessiaSoppelsadescribesthestudio-led

investigationsintoBrutalistconcretestructuresinToronto.

19 2012 gOVernOr general’s awards

a surPrisingly diVerse range of ProjeCT TyPes CharaCTerized This year’s jury seleCTions, widening The sCoPe of whaT ConsTiTuTes meaningful arChiTeCTure.

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24 guillaume léVesque, arChi-TeCTe & emergenCy arChiTeCTs Canada

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30 shim-suTCliffe arChiTeCTs 32 rdh arChiTeCTs inC. 36 rdh arChiTeCTs inC.38 Kuwabara Payne mCKenna blumberg arChiTeCTs

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46 offiCe of mCfarlane biggar arChiTeCTs + designers inC (CommenCed as mCfarlane | green | biggar arChiTeCTure + design inC.) 48 PaTKau arChiTeCTs inC.

may 2012, V.57 n.05

The NaTioNal Review of DesigN aND PRacTice/The JouRNal of RecoRD of aRchiTecTuRe caNaDa | Raic

We acknoWledge the financial support of the government of canada through the canada periodical

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8 cAnAdiAn­ArchitEct 05/12

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AbovE aLthouGh It kePt attendees traPPed InsIde a ConferenCe hoteL hIGh uP In the beautIfuL roCky MountaIns for two days, the 2012 banff sessIon was a rewardInG oPPortunIty to Meet aLberta arChIteCts and to dIsCuss Issues of ProfessIonaL sIGnIfI-CanCe wIth theM.

Association of Architects’ annual conference, over 550 registrants descended upon the Banff Springs Hotel for two days of courses, croissants and coffee. Although the Session was essentially embedded within a provincial architectural con­ference chock full of professional development courses, the list of keynote speakers from Europe and the US remained impressive: Anna Herrin­ger, Craig Dykers, Kim Herforth Nielsen, Lauren Rottet, and Lorcan O’Herlihy.

Nevertheless, it was disappointing to listen to the careful and articulate—if somewhat formu­laic—keynote presentations of speakers who have delivered virtually identical lectures before. Yet who can blame these accomplished world­weary individuals for being so reluctant to reveal too much about their working methodologies? More­over, today’s architectural audience yearns for easily digestible sound bites that tend to favour aesthetics and pragmatics over a greater philo­sophical purpose. For these reasons, it is unfor­tunate but perhaps a reality of contemporary practice that the celebrated architects of today have fewer opportunities to open themselves up to candid debates with their professional colleagues. Despite the fact that Banff Session organizers made provision for more informal breakout sessions, a more meaningful discussion failed to materialize.

The focus of the Banff Session has inexorably shifted to the pragmatic aspects of practice. Again, this may be yet another sign of the times, but it is a pity that the “cultural context” of the Banff Session has been somewhat reduced to the banality of an architectural conference like any other—souvenirs of moccasins, key chains and ammolite jewelry excepted.

Perhaps it is a sign of the times that the motiva­tion to collect continuing education credits seems to have overshadowed the original purpose of attending architectural conferences like the Banff Session. The commoditization of architec­tural ideas seems to have invariably extended to the speakers themselves who adhere to their trusted digital slide presentations as they travel from city to city espousing the well­scripted vir­tues of their work with machine­like precision.

Held in the majestic Alberta town after which it is named, the Banff Session—expressed in the singular—has its own particular history that began in 1955 at the Banff School of Arts, and which was intended for architects to spend a few days to “live communally and without other dis­tractions.” In 1956, Richard Neutra delivered a series of lectures over the course of an entire week to a group of 38 architects. In 1984, Ricardo Bofill and Peter Eisenman famously debated each other in a heated discussion—sparked by a com­ment made by Michael Graves at the Banff Session the year before. Over the decades, orga­nizers have made considerable efforts to invite the most engaging architects around the world to make the journey up to this mountain retreat and talk about their work and design philosophy. As the profession of architecture has evolved, so too has the energy and intensity of the Banff Session, which is now held for just a couple of days every two years. But in 2012, with crisp cell­phone re­ception widely available despite the surrounding Rocky Mountains, one would be hard­pressed to find even a handful of architects capable of dedi­cating their undivided attention to the discussion of lofty architectural ideas.

The theme of this year’s Banff Session was “Cultural Context”—a term that is as broad as they come. Held in conjunction with the Alberta

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news

Projects

BiG contributes mixed-use tower to Vancouver skyline.Called Beach and Howe, the 490-foot-tall mixed-use tower by BIG + Westbank + Dialog + Cobalt + PFS + Buro Happold + Glotman Simpson and local architect James Cheng will mark the entry point to downtown Vancouver, forming a welcoming gateway to the city while adding an-other unique structure to the Vancouver skyline. The development calls for 600 residential units occupying the 49-storey tower, which would be-come one of the city’s tallest buildings. The tower is situated on a nine-storey podium base offering market-rental housing with a mix of commercial and retail space. BIG was commissioned by Cana dian real estate developer Westbank, a com-pany established in 1992 with over $10 billion of projects completed or under development, in-cluding the Shangri-La luxury hotels in Vancou-ver and Toronto. “Architecturally, the Beach and Howe tower will introduce a new building typol-ogy to the Vancouver skyline and will create a dramatic gateway to downtown Vancouver that speaks to the emerging creative economy in the city,” said Ian Gillespie, President of Westbank. The tower takes its shape after the site’s complex urban conditions aiming to optimize the condi-tions for its future inhabitants in the air as well as at street level. At its base, the footprint of the tower is conditioned by concerns for two signifi-cant neighbouring elements, including a 30-metre setback from the Granville Bridge which ensures that no residents will have windows and balconies in the middle of heavy traffic. Addi-tionally, concerns for sunlight reaching an adja-cent park limits how far south the building can be constructed. Consequently, the building foot-print is restricted to a small triangle. As the tower ascends, it clears the noise, exhaust, and visual in va sion of the Granville Bridge. BIG’s design reclaims the lost area as the tower clears the zone of influence of the bridge, gradually cantilevering over the site. This movement turns the inefficient triangle into an optimal rectangular floor plate, increasing the desirable spaces for living at its top, while freeing up a generous public space at its base. The resultant silhouette has a unique ap-pearance that changes from every angle and re-sembles a curtain being drawn aside, welcoming people as they enter the city from the bridge. The courtyards created by the building volumes, roofs and terraces are all designed to enhance views from the Granville Bridge and the residential units above. The canted, triangular clusters of green roofs create a highly graphic and iconic gate way to and from the downtown core, re in forc ing the City of Vancouver’s focus on sustainable cities.

aBoVe­The­unique­form­of­The­Beach­and­howe­Tower­in­downTown­Vancou-Ver­is­The­resulT­of­a­collaBoraTiVe­efforT­led­By­copenhagen-Based­archi-TecTure­firm­Big.

awards

Lola sheppard wins 2012 raic Young architect award. Architecture Canada | RAIC has announced that it has selected Lola Sheppard as the recipient of its 2012 Young Architect Award. Sheppard received her Bachelor of Architecture from McGill Uni-versity and her Master of Architecture degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. She practiced in Europe for six years, most notably at Jean Nouvel in Paris, and in 2003 became the founding partner of Lateral Office, a Toronto design firm that operates at the inter-section of architecture, urbanism and landscape architecture. Her interest lies with the relation-ship between architecture and nature, and archi-tecture’s capacity to sustain local ecosystems and cultures in extreme environments such as the Canadian north. A champion of innovation, she

is one of the founding directors of InfraNet Lab, a design research laboratory dedicated to exam-ining the role infrastructures and networks play in our built environment. She inspires a new generation of architects in her role as Associate Professor at University of Waterloo’s School of Architecture and as a visiting critic at schools across Canada and the US. In choosing Lola Sheppard, the jury noted that her “work is con-tributing to larger societal concerns, going well beyond the bounds of traditional architectural practice.” Architecture Canada’s Young Architect Award recognizes the achievements of a young architect in excellence in design, leadership and/

SSORIES

agers Association (BOMA), the Green Globes program has been adopted throughout North America and is based on a graduated rating sys-tem, ranging from one to five Green Globes. An evaluation of five Green Globes is reserved for select building designs which serve as national or world leaders in energy and environmental per-formance. The three-storey 6,579-square-metre Fipke Centre and the four-storey 7,950-square-metre Arts & Sciences Building both contain lab-oratories, classrooms, student commons and offices to support a wide variety of innovative research projects. The Arts & Sciences Building also includes a theatre and an animal care facil-ity. Creating an energy-efficient building that houses one or more laboratories poses signifi-cant challenges. On average, a laboratory con-sumes five to 10 times more energy per square foot than an average office building. The project team for both facilities successfully adopted a holistic “whole building” approach to the design, using Building Information Modelling (BIM). This permits each building to be viewed as an interdependent system, rather than an accumu-lation of separate components. Recent analysis of energy consumption data from the Fipke Centre in dicates that the building is 46 per cent more energy-efficient than a standard reference build-

or service to the profession. It is intended that this award will inspire other young architects to become licensed and to strive for excellence in their work. www.raic.org/honours_and_awards/awards_young/ 2012/recipient_e.htm

University of British columbia in the okanagan receives five Green Globes.Kasian, a global architecture, design and plan-ning firm, is pleased to announce that the Charles E. Fipke Centre for Innovative Research (Fipke Centre) and the adjacent Arts & Sciences Building, located at the Okanagan campus of the University of British Columbia (UBCO), have both been awarded five Green Globes. These are the first campus buildings in the world to each receive five Green Globes and are also the first paired buildings to attain this distinction. Both buildings are designed by Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd, in collabora-tion with the UBC Properties Trust. Green Globes is a revolutionary online auditing tool designed to acknowledge buildings that improve environ-mental performance with regard to management, site, energy, water, resources, emissions and indoor environment. Developed in Canada and administered by the Building Owners and Man-

ing that meets the requirements of the Model National Energy Code for Buildings (MNECB).

royal conservatory’s teLUs centre for Per-formance and Learning wins international urban planning and design award.The Royal Conservatory’s TELUS Centre for Per-formance and Learning is the only North Amer-ican building to win a 2012 Civic Trust Award, recognizing the best in planning, urban design, and public arts. The award is given to projects making an outstanding contribution to the quality of the environment, demonstrating excellence in architecture, design and sustainability, and to the positive cultural, environmental or economic bene fit to the local community. Based in the United Kingdom and established in 1959, the Civic Trust Awards are bestowed annually, recognizing outstanding architecture, planning, and design in the built environment. This year’s awards short-listed 52 entries, the majority hailing from the UK. Awards are presented for buildings and schemes of architectural excellence that improve their surrounding community. Each entry is judged by an assessment team including architect and design advisors as well as local representatives. The Royal Conservatory’s TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning was conceived by

SSORIES

05/12­­canadian architect­13

Mari anne McKenna, founding partner of Kuwa-bara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects in 1989. Completed 20 years later, its stunning centre piece, the acoustically perfect Koerner Hall, has estab-lished itself among North America’s leading con-cert venues, attracting internationally celebrated classical, jazz, pop, and world music artists. The TELUS Centre also houses 60 professionally equipped practice studios for students and faculty, a technology and new media lab, and a compre-hensive music library. The Royal Conservatory renewal project has earned national and inter-national recognition with prestigious architectural awards including the 2011 American Institute of Architects/CAE Educational Facility Design Award of Excellence, the 2010 Governor General’s Medal in Architecture, and the 2010 Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award. www.rcmusic.ca

comPetitions

Gladstone hotel’s come Up to my room 2013 call for submissions.The Gladstone Hotel seeks Expressions of Inter-est for innovative, cutting-edge, contemporary design and installation-based projects for the annual alternative design event, Come Up To My

Room (CUTMR). The 10th installment of CUTMR will take place from January 24 to 27, 2013 at the historic Gladstone Hotel in downtown Toronto, and coincides with the Toronto International Design Festival and the Interior Design Show. Expect 25 installations, 40 artists, and 4,000 visitors in the space of four days. As this is an important anniversary for this ever-expanding show, the 10th installment will emphasize the idea that formed the basis for the very first CUTMR—occupying and altering a space in a dra-matic, conceptual, or experimental way. Special consideration will be given to submissions that push the limits of the Gladstone site further than ever, including the extension of site-specific in-stallations outside the hotel and into the sur-rounding neighbourhood. Site-specific work will be mounted in the rooms and public spaces in the second-floor Gladstone Gallery and in the ground-floor spaces of the hotel. Ideal candi-dates for juried consideration are practitioners who approach their discipline with a radical per-sonal vision, and who use design to converse, connect, collaborate and construct delight in the unexpected. There are two ways to participate in Come Up To My Room 2013. First, an immersive room installation in which participants will cre-ate new work that is site-specific and installa-

tion-based, and secondly, a site-specific public space project in which participants will create functional lighting, seating, wall-based projects, or a functional bar, DJ table, or CUTMR ticket desk. Participants can also propose installation and performance-based work for public spaces in the hotel. Please submit hard-copy or elec-tronic submissions (MS-Word documents or PDF files only) no later than June 7, 2012. www.gladstonehotel.com/wp-content/uploads/ CUTMR2013CallforSubmissions1.pdf

call for Proposals: artists, art Groups, designers, architects, Landscape architects and engineers.The Port Credit BIA is seeking artists, art groups, architects, designers and/or engineers to submit proposals to temporarily transform an on-street parking space in the Mississauga neighbourhood of Port Credit into a public space this fall as part of the international event called Parking Day (September 21) and Culture Days 2012 (Septem-ber 28-30). Up to four Parking Day installation proposals will be selected with a $500 prize awarded for each winning proposal and a budget of $7,500 for each winning team to design and construct the structure. Imaginative ideas are being sought to create a vibrant streetscape. The

installations are intended to be both public art and street furniture and shall aesthetically en-hance the overall streetscape, providing space for people in a place usually reserved for vehicular parking. The deadline for proposals is 12:00 noon on June 4, 2012. Winners will be announced on June 14, 2012. Detailed drawings must be com-pleted by July 30, 2012, and the offsite construc-tion period will run from September 12-18, 2012. Parking Day installations will be open from Sep-tember 19-30, 2012. The City of Mississauga’s Culture Division is assisting the Port Credit BIA with this initiative. Please submit proposals elec-tronically to cultural.planning@mississauga.ca. www.mississauga.ca/file/COM/parking_day.pdf

What’s NeW

Recovering the Past to Create a More sustainable Future: unique summer pro-gram in Italy returns for 2012.Sponsored by Architecture Canada | RAIC and the Department of Architecture at the University of Ferrara, Recovering the Past to Create a More Sustainable Future is offered from July 22-28, 2012. This unique professional development pro-gram is a great opportunity to visit, study and tour in Northern Italy. The course will merge projects focused on architectural conservation in

cultural environmental heritage with innovative projects focusing on sustainable strategies, re-newable energy, techniques and economic fea-tures relating to energy-efficient design. It also examines historical applications, current issues, emerging technological advances and provides technical information on restoration and renew-able energies. The cost of the program is $1,800 (double) or $2,000 (single), which covers the course, travel by private coach, and accommoda-tions. Airfare, lunch and dinner are not included. Register today by e-mailing registration@raic.org. www.raic.org/notices/courses/2012/Program_RAIC_ 2012_v6_12Feb15.pdf

architecture Canada | RaIC welcomes honorary Fellows during Festival of architecture.Architecture Canada | RAIC is pleased to welcome three Honorary Fellows, who will participate in this year’s Festival of Architecture organized in partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Architects. The Festival takes place June 13-16, 2012 in St. John’s and is themed “Deep Roots in a New Energy City.” Ted Cullinan, Hon. FRAIC, will anchor the Festival, speaking during the annual Fellows Convocation about his world-renowned firm Edward Cullinan Architects in London, England, and how its practice as a co-

operative offers an unusual flexibility to respond effectively to client demands. Acclaimed local art-ist Mary Pratt, Hon. FRAIC, will also be honoured. She is one of Canada’s most respected realist painters, known for her perceptive use of light; the images in her paintings take on realistic di-mensions and resemble photographs. One of Canada’s most prominent painters and print-makers, Christopher Pratt C.C., Hon. FRAIC, will also be recognized for his very distinguished body of artistic works, grounded in place and regional context. His paintings have been exhibited na-tionally and internationally and explore many themes: landscapes, architecture, waterscapes, interior spaces and the human figure. The RAIC 2012 Fellows are: Gaye Kapkin, Dominic A. Lippa, Michel Bourassa, Jean-Pierre LeTourneux, Almas Mathieu, Jean-Luc Vadeboncoeur, Deborah Levine Farrow, Douglas Hardie, Edward J. Cuhaci, William Crompton, Jason Moriyama, Douglas Birkenshaw, David Hilaire Clusiau, Karen Cvor-nyek, R. Craig Goodman, Norman E. Grey-Noble, Roman Mychajlowycz, David Paul Penner, I. Hillel Roebuck, Peter Turner, Barrie J. Ottenbreit, Colin S. Reed, Rory Picklyk, Robert Adamson, Donna Marie Clare, Naomi Minja, Douglas S. Ramsey, Daniel H. Jenkins, Gordon C. Richards, Bo Helli-well, and Raymond J. Cole.http://festival.raic.org/index_e.htm

2012Board Members

PresidentDavid Craddock, FRAIC

1st Vice-President and President-ElectPaul E. Frank, FRAIC

2nd Vice-President and TreasurerWayne De Angelis, FRAIC

Immediate Past PresidentStuart Howard, PP/FRAIC

Regional Directors

Wayne De Angelis, FRAIC (British Columbia/Yukon)

Samuel Oboh, MRAIC (Alberta/NWT)

Michael Cox, MRAIC (Saskatchewan/Manitoba)

Leslie Klein, FRAIC (Ontario South and West)

Allan Teramura, MRAIC (Ontario North and East/Nunavut)

Jean-Pierre Pelletier, FIRAC (Quebec)

Edmond Koch, FRAIC (Atlantic)

Chancellor of College of FellowsBarry Johns , FRAIC

Council of Canadian University Schools of Architecture (CCUSA)Kendra Schank Smith, MRAIC

Director Representing Interns and Intern ArchitectsW. Steve Boulton, MRAIC

Executive DirectorJim McKee

EditorSylvie Powell

Architecture Canada | RAIC330-55 Murray St. Ottawa ON K1N 5M3 Tel.: 613-241-3600 Fax: 613-241-5750 E-mail: info@raic.org

www.raic.org

MASThEAD PhoTo: LANguAgE TECHNOLOgIES RE-SEARCH CENTRE AT uNIvERSITy OF QuEBEC IN OuTA-OuAIS | MENKèS SHOONER DAgENAIS LETOuRNEux ARCHITECTS / FORTIN CORRIvEAu SALvAIL ARCHITEC-TuRE + DESIgN | PHOTO: MICHEL BRuNELLE

ISSuE 34.2SuMMER 2012

Architecture Canada | RAIC and the Department of Architecture at the university of Ferrara are offering the architectural course Recovering the Past to create a more Sustainable Future from July 22 to 28, 2012, in Northern Italy. This unique professional development program examines heritage and conservation architecture while providing 28.5 Structured/Core Hours.

Cost: $1,800 (double) / $2,000 (single) includes: courses, travel by private coach, accommoda-tions (with breakfast and free Wi-Fi). Airfare, lunch and dinner are not included.

To register: registration@raic.org

The Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation | St. John’s, NL | John Hearn Architect Inc.

Festival 2012 is calling everyone to the RockRegistration is now open for the 2012 RAIC Festival of Architecture presented in partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Architects, June 13-16, 2012 at the Delta St. John’s Hotel and Convention Centre.

Availability of courses, events and companion packages is first-come, first-served – so be sure to register soon.

2012 RAIC Gold Medal to present at Festival Architecture Canada | RAIC is pleased to announce Peter Cardew, MRAIC, as its 2012 gold Medal recipient.

The gold Medal Selection Committee in choosing Mr. Cardew noted “The quality

of his work is consistently high, consistent-ly thoughtful, and timeless. His commitment to the fundamental importance of the ‘art’ of architecture is evident in the poetry of the forms of his projects and his dedi cation to the broader community and profession is demonstrated through his teaching and design review panel work. Peter Cardew is an Architect to be admired and emulated.”

As part of this recognition, Mr. Cardew will be speak-ing at the Presidents’ Dinner & Awards Gala, June 15.

Three honourary Fellows to participateTed Cullinan, hon. FRAIC, will anchor the Festival speaking during the annual Fellows Convocation, June 14, about his world renowned firm Edward Cullinan Architects in London, England, and how its practice as a co-operative offers an unusual flexibility to respond effectively to client demands.

Acclaimed local artist Mary Pratt, hon. FRAIC, will also be honoured. She is one of Canada’s most re-spected realists, known for her perceptive use of light. Ms. Pratt will participate in Sketching Sessions being held June 15-16.

One of Canada’s most prominent painters and print-makers, Christopher Pratt C.C., hon. FRAIC, will also be recognized for his very distinguished body of artistic works, grounded in place and regional context.

Presenting the 2012 Young Architect Award recipientArchitecture Canada | RAIC is pleased to announce Lola Sheppard, oAQ, MRAIC, as the recipient of its 2012 young Architect Award.

She will also be presented her award during the Pres-idents’ Dinner & Awards Gala.

See festival.raic.org to register for the Festival

Don’t miss a unique ConEd opportunity in Ferrara, Italy

Conseil d’administrationde 2012

PrésidentDavid Craddock, FRAIC

Premier vice-président et président éluPaul E. Frank, FRAIC

Deuxième vice-président et trésorierWayne De Angelis, FRAIC

Président sortant de chargeStuart Howard, PP/FRAIC

Administrateurs régionaux

Wayne De Angelis, FRAIC (Colombie-Britannique/Yukon)

Samuel Oboh, MRAIC (Alberta/T.N.-O.)

Michael Cox, MRAIC (Saskatchewan/Manitoba)

Leslie Klein, FRAIC (Sud et Ouest de l’Ontario)

Allan Teramura, MRAIC (Est et Nord de l’Ontario/Nunavut)

Jean-Pierre Pelletier, FIRAC (Québec)

Edmond Koch, FRAIC (Atlantique)

Chancelier du Collège des fellowsBarry Johns, FRAIC

Conseil canadien des écoles universitaires d’architecture (CCÉUA)Kendra Schank Smith, MRAIC

Conseiller représentant les stagiairesW. Steve Boulton, MRAIC

Directeur généralJim McKee

Rédactrice en chefSylvie Powell

Architecture Canada | IRAC55, rue Murray, bureau 330 Ottawa (Ontario) K1N 5M3 Tél. : 613-241-3600 Téléc. : 613-241-5750 Courriel : info@raic.org

www.raic.org

PhoTo En CARToUChE DE TITRE : CENTRE DE RECHERCHE EN TECHNOLOgIES LANgAgIèRES DE L’uNIvERSITé Du QuéBEC EN OuTAOuAIS | MENKèS SHOONER DAgENAIS LETOuRNEux ARCHITECTES / FORTIN CORRIvEAu SALvAIL ARCHITECTuRE + DESIgN | PHOTO : MICHEL BRuNELLE

NuMéRO 34.2 éTé 2012

L’inscription au Festival d’architecture 2012 de l’IRAC est maintenant ouverte. Le Festival, présenté en partenariat avec la Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Architects, aura lieu du 13 au 16 juin 2012 à l’hôtel et centre des congrès Delta St. John’s.

Les places pour assister aux cours, les billets pour les diverses activités et les for-faits des conjoints sont attribués sur la base du premier arrivé premier servi. évitez les déceptions et inscrivez-vous rapidement !

Le Médaillé d’or de l’IRAC 2012 prendra la parole pendant le Festival Architecture Canada | IRAC a le plaisir d’an-noncer que sa Médaille d’or 2012 est remise à Peter Cardew, MRAIC.

En décidant de lui attribuer la Médaille d’or, le comité de sélection a souligné que « Peter Cardew se démar-que par la qualité constante et l’intemporalité de son travail, de même que par le sérieux de sa réflexion. La poésie des formes de ses bâtiments ré vèle à quel point il est con vaincu de l’importance fondamentale de “l’art” de l’architecture. M. Cardew démontre égale-ment un fort attachement à la communauté élargie et

à la profession par son rôle d’enseignant et de critique d’ateliers de design. Il est un architecte digne d’admira-tion et un modèle. »

M. Cardew prononcera une allocution le vendredi 15 juin pendant le dîner des présidents et gala de remise des prix.

Trois fellows honoraires participeront au FestivalTed Cullinan, hon. FRAIC, prendra la parole le 14 juin, dans le cadre de la cérémonie d’intronisation des fellows 2012 de l’IRAC. Il parlera de l’approche de son bureau de réputation mondiale qui exerce sous forme de co -opéra tive, ce qui lui offre une flexibilité inhabituelle pour répondre efficacement aux demandes des clients.

Par ailleurs, l’artiste locale de renom Mary Pratt, hon. FRAIC, l’une des artistes réalistes les plus respectées qui est reconnue pour son utilisation perceptive de la lumière, participera aux ateliers de croquis qui auront lieu les 15 et 16 juin.

Architecture Canada | IRAC et le département d’architecture de l’université de Ferrara offrent le cours Recovering the Past to create a more Sus-tain able Future de 22 au 28 juillet 2012, dans le nord de l’Italie. Ce cours de formation continue tout à fait unique porte sur l’architecture en lien avec le patrimoine et la conservation. Il donne droit à 28,5 heures de formation continue dirigée.

Coût : 1 800 $ (en occupation double) / 2 000 $ (en occupation simple). Ce montant comprend l’inscription au cours, les déplacements en véhicule privé, l’hébergement (incluant le petit déjeuner et l’accès gratuit au Wi-Fi). Le transport aérien, les déjeuners et les dîners ne sont pas inclus.

Pour s’inscrire : registration@raic.org

Le Festival 2012 vous invite à Terre-neuve

Enfin, l’un des peintres et graveurs les plus en vue du Canada, Christopher Pratt C.C., hon. FRAIC, sera honoré pour l’ensemble de son œuvre ancrée dans son milieu et son contexte régional.

Prix du jeune architecte 2012Architecture Canada | IRAC a le plaisir d’annoncer qu’il décerne son Prix du jeune architecte 2012 à Lola Sheppard, oAQ, MRAIC.

Mme Sheppard recevra sa médaille pendant le dîner des présidents et gala de remise des prix.

Pour vous inscrire au Festival, voir le site festival.raic.org

Une occasion de formation con tinue extraordinaire à Ferrara

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05/12­­canadian architect­19

Broad consensusa surprisingly diverse range of project types characterized this year’s jury selections, widening the scope of what con­stitutes meaningful archi­tecture.

medals are awarded every two years. Architecture Canada | Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC), along with the RAIC College of Fellows, are responsible for the organization and admin­istration of the competition while the Canada Council for the Arts selects and administers the peer assessment jury. The 2012 jury included Manon Asselin (founding partner of atelier TAG in Montreal and adjunct professor at the Université de Montréal School of Architecture), Joost Bakker (principal of DIALOG, Vancouver), Siamak Hariri (founding partner of Hariri Pontarini Architects, Toronto), Catherine Slessor (editor of The Architectural Review, London, UK), and Alejandro Villarreal (director of Hierve Diseñería, Mexico City and London, UK).

Of the numerous buildings emerging from a strong social mandate, only three projects have received a Governor General’s Medal over the past decade. In 2002, Shim­Sutcliffe Architects received accolades for the Moorelands Camp Dining Hall on Lake Kawagama in Ontario (a non­profit camp for underprivileged children) while in 2004, Henriquez Partners received a medal for the Lore Krill Housing Co­op in Vancouver. The third recipient is to be found amidst this year’s selected winners. The Mission Kitcisakik project in Quebec is an outstanding example of a process­intensive project with an incredible social man­date in which the architect and client were able to enlist, train, and empower the local Native com­munity in order to provide better housing for themselves. With 50 percent of Canada’s Aborigi­nal population living in urban centres and many universities pursuing building projects focused on Aboriginal students and learning, the self­ affirmation of First Nations architecture will con­tinue to be recognized in the foreseeable future.

In recent years, the Governor General’s Medal in Architecture has frequently been awarded to architects who have produced exquisite object­type buildings, and this year is no exception to that trend. Three projects—Linear House, Integral

The dozen projects receiving a 2012 Governor General’s Medal in Architecture include a broad spectrum of building types and approaches to design. A few of the award­winning designs rep­resent the awe­inspiring tradition of craft and meticulous detail apparent in the residences of wealthy clients, while other medal recipients demonstrate an ability to assert bold statements relating to civic design, multi­family living, and the desire to mitigate the placeless qualities of our rapidly growing suburbs. One project in par­ticular—the Mission Kitcisakik—draws special attention to the need for architects to be involved in improving the physical living conditions in First Nations communities, thereby expanding our role beyond mere purveyors of good design and embracing our capacity to serve as advocates for better communities.

The Governor General’s Medals in Architecture are often used as a barometer to measure the state of architecture in Canada, but it is difficult for such an awards program to accurately reflect the wide diversity of building types and range of design processes to reach a singular consensus on what is top of mind for architecture firms today. Nevertheless, the award­winning projects presented here certainly provide a brief overview of the many challenges currently facing our profession.

This prestigious awards program celebrates outstanding completed buildings located any­where in the world whose architects are ostensi­bly based in Canada (the lead design architects must be licensed/registered architects who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada). The GGs, as they are informally known, continue the tradition of the Massey Medals that were established in 1950 and which sought to cel­ebrate—and define—Canadian architecture and the regional and cultural forces that help shape our built environment. To be eligible, this year’s submissions must have been completed between January 1, 2004 and September 1, 2011. Up to 12

House and Cliff House—were each recognized by the jury as beautiful objects in the landscape. To the dismay of some architects (cue eye­rolling over exquisite homes for the wealthy), there will always be a place for houses such as these which represent laboratories for high­level architectural experimentation. Additionally, the category of the rarefied building commission can certainly be ex­tended to include the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat which has succeeded in raising the bar for quality of construction in Canada, making it a truly global building of the highest order.

Simpler projects with modest construction budgets can be equally influential. 5468796 Ar­chitecture’s Bloc_10, a typologically innovative multi­family project set in a suburban Winnipeg context, eschews frivolity and excess while deliv­ering spatial complexity and unique design. The project demonstrates that innovation doesn’t have to come with a high price tag.

Of special note is the quality of work being pro­duced in the suburbs of the Greater Toronto Area. Projects in Mississauga, Newmarket and Vaughan represent a continuing trend of substantial in­vestment in civic, educational and industrial buildings being completed outside of Toronto’s municipal boundaries. In addition to the rigorous implementation of sustainable design strategies contained within these projects is the fact that municipalities are no longer basing their deci­sions solely on lowest construction cost but are instead choosing higher­quality architecture with lower operating budgets over the long term.

Appreciating high­quality construction and in­novative design, understanding the merits of a project’s life­cycle costs, and applying the skills of an architect to achieve a net social benefit and positive impact on disadvantaged communities are all present in this year’s selection of Governor General’s Medals in Architecture. We should be proud of our profession, and we look forward to seeing how these facets of architecture continue to be pursued in the future. ca

2012 governor general’s medal winners

5468796­Architecture

20 canadian architect 05/12

governor general’s medal winner

cliff house

Project Cliff House, Nova sCotiaarchitect MaCKay-lyoNs sweetapple arCHiteCtsPhotos GreG riCHardsoN

This modest project is the first in a series of pro-jects to be built on a large 455-acre property on the Nova Scotia Atlantic Coast. It acts as a didactic instrument intended to heighten the experience of dwelling in the landscape. Perched on the bed-rock cliff, the pure and austere wood box “teach-es” about the nature of its landscape through the creation of a sense of vertigo, floating above the sea. This strategy features the building’s fifth elevation—its belly. On approaching the cabin from land, one is presented with understated landscaping and a calm wood box firmly planted on the ground—in contrast to the subsequent dramatic interior experience of flying off the cliff.

This efficient, 960-square-foot cabin func-tions as a rustic retreat. Intended as an afford-able, high-amenity prototype on a pedestal, its main level contains a great room with a north cabinet wall and a compact service core behind.

The open loft acts as a sleeping perch. A large, south-facing deck on the cliff edge allows the great room to flow outward, and the cabin’s fen-estration optimizes passive solar gains and views, both out to sea and along the coastline.

The project’s rich spatial experience and dra-matic landscape strategy is contrasted by its ma-terial frugality. This is a modest project with an extremely low budget. A galvanized superstruc-ture anchors it to the cliff, while a light steel endo skeleton forms the primary structure ex-pressed on the interior. The envelope is a simple and conventional taut-skinned platform-framed box. The “outsulation” strategy allows the con-ventional wood framing system to be expressed on the interior, avoiding the need for interior finishes and the problems typically associated with condensation in insulated wall cavities. An abstract modern effect is created by the cedar shiplap siding on a ventilated rain screen.

In Atlantic Canada, a cool labile climate—char-acterized by constant wet/dry freeze/thaw cycles—results in a very high weathering rate for build-ings. Over the centuries, an elegant, economical lightweight wood building tradition has devel-

oped in response to this challenging climate. The light timber frame has also become the dominant domestic construction system in North America. Despite its widespread use, its inherent high level of environmental sustainability, its afford-ability, and its subtle refined aesthetic, architects have been reluctant to embrace it. The research conducted by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple’s prac-tice, however, builds upon and extends this often understated, everyday language of construction, most often through modest projects like the Cliff House.

jury: Among the many weekend and vacation house submissions, this insightful reinterpreta-tion of the archetypal cabin in the landscape was a clear standout project. Perfectly judged for its setting, it elevates plain vernacular form and or-dinary materials into a potent mediation on the relationship between the man-made and nature. Its sober tectonic language resonates delightfully with the surrounding coastal landscape, and its haiku-like simplicity and exquisite modesty dis-tills the notion of dwelling into a beautiful and memorable piece of architecture. ca

05/12 canadian architect 21

clocKwise from oPPosite toP projeCtiNG out froM its MaGNifi-CeNt site, tHis Cliffside dwelliNG lives up to its NaMe; deliCate steel supports Give tHis House a seNse of iMperMaNeNCe; tHe liGHt tiMber-fraMe eNvelope is a fiNe CoNtrast to tHe blaCK-paiNted steel eNdosKeletoN; oNe perCeives a deCeptively CalM aNd blaNK wood box wHeN approaCHiNG tHe House froM laNd.

client witHHeldarchitect team briaN MaCKay-lyoNs, talbot sweet-apple, KeviN reid, MelaNie HayNe, sawa rostKowsKastructural CaMpbell CoMeau eNGiNeeriNG liMitedgeotechnical terraiN Group iNCorporatedBuilder GordoN MaCleaN area 960 ft2 Budget witHHeldcomPletion suMMer 2010

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22 canadian architect 05/12

governor general’s medal winner

Quartier des spectacles

proJect Quartier des spectacles place des Festivals et vitrines Habitées, Montreal, Quebecarchitect daoust lestaGe inc. arcHitecture desiGn urbainphotos Marc craMer

Historically home to Montreal’s red light district, theatres and museums, this project demonstrates the ability of cultural momentum to shape urban redevelopment. The core of the Quartier des Spectacles occupies a large city block inhabited by cultural institutions: Place des Arts, Maison Symphonique, and the Musée d’art Con tem po­rain. Since 2007, this once destructured area, covered by parking lots, has been undergoing a major urban renewal, including a new network of four large outdoor stages around Place des Arts. When completed, it will have transformed more than 300,000 square metres of urban space.

Place des Festivals, the first phase of the Quartier des Spectacles, is bordered by rue Sainte­Catherine to the south and the Maison du Festival de Jazz and future projects to the west. To the east is rue Jeanne­Mance and the blank façade of the Musée d’art Contemporain. The Vitrines Habitées are designed as a response and a solution to this introverted building.

Set on a 10­metre sidewalk created as part of the Place des Festivals, these glass and aluminum structures are 40 metres long and 4 metres wide with a streetside terrace. All services and techni­

cal spaces are located below grade level. Each restaurant has a seating capacity of 60 with an additional 60 places available on the terrace. These buildings reap the maximum benefit from a minimal footprint.

The Vitrines are highly transparent to increase the immateriality of the buildings. The architec­tural scheme strives to create a monolithic extru­sion carefully designed to hide the structure and mechanical systems which would have compro­mised the purity of the gesture.

The aluminum extrusions are punctuated by bands of glass wrapping the walls and roof. The strategy of opacity and transparency projects the users into the outdoors and allows pedestrians views into and through the restaurants. The west façades, responding to the presence of the public space, have large sliding walls that open up the visual interaction. By night, the Vitrines become a part of the spectacle on the Place.

Place des Festivals takes its cues from the theatrical heritage of the neighbourhood, mag­nifying the stage to the scale of the city. One of the greatest challenges of this project was to create an outdoor theatre both for the festival season and for normal urban life during the rest of the year. The balance of hard and soft land­scaping and vertical markers is important. Mature trees are planted and signature lighting elements, forming the walls and ceiling of the stage, act as festive urban markers, confirming

the presence of the Quartier des Spectacles with­in the city’s fabric.

The Place is also home to the largest interactive fountain in Canada. Composed of red and white curtains of water and light with a central fountain that rises 12 metres above the surface, it is pro­grammed to respond to movement, light and sound. The water, captured at the surface, is filter ed and reused for the fountain.

Since the delivery of the Place des Festivals, the people of Montreal have claimed the space as their own, making it a true public square all year long, day and night. Abandoned lots once used only during the festival season have established —in this reconfigured public realm of the red light district—a physical complement to these ephem­eral events, formalizing theatricality and trans­forming the urban experience, from the spectacle to the district.

Jury: Acting as a multivalent armature for as­sorted spectacles and events in the heart of Montreal, this scheme powerfully encapsulates the potential of public space by engaging with and celebrating civic life. New elements, lighting, and landscaping rationalize and transform an existing nondescript square into a civilizing focus for different activities. The project’s well judged sense of scale and generous urban char­acter are an inspiring exemplar for similar developments. ca

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opposite top, leFt to right an aerial view oF a crowd-packed place des Festivals; tHe colourFul and transparent vitrines Habitées aniMate tHe streetscape; a caFé inHabits one oF tHe vitrines, wHose level oF detail approacHes tHat oF an industrial desiGn project. aBove liGHtinG arMatures are visible on tHe plaza, as is tHe popular interactive Fountain.

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place des Festivalsclient ville de Montréal (stépHane ricci, project coordinator)architect team réal lestaGe, renée daoust, caroline beaulieu, natHalie trudel, lucie bibeau, François Ménard, catHerine st-Marseille, Marie-pier MarcHand, Marie-josée GaGnon, stépHane savoie, eveline siMardengineering le Groupe s.M. international inc.lighting éclairaGe publiclighting structures & street lighting laMpadaires FeraluxFountain soucy aQuatikcontractor terraMex inc.area 320 M2 eacHBudget $22 Mcompletion june 2009

vitrines haBitéesclient ville de Montréalarchitect team réal lestaGe, renée daoust, Marc ducHesne, caroline beaulieu, natHalie trudel, catHerine st-Marseille, François Ménard, jean-François bilodeau, Marie-josée GaGnon, stépHane savoieengineering le Groupe s.M. international inc.lighting éclairaGe publiccontractor Groupe dubé et associés inc.curtain wall aluMico arcHitectural inc.area 320 M2 eacHBudget $4 Mcompletion june 2010

24 canadian architect 05/12

governor general’s medal winner

mission KitcisaKiK

ProJect Mission KitcisaKiK, KitcisaKiK, Quebec architects GuillauMe lévesQue, architecte & eMerGency architects canadaPhotos GuillauMe lévesQue and Peter PaPatie

Emergency Architects of Canada and Frontiers Foundation, with the initiative of architect Guillaume Lévesque, have built upon their skills and professionalism in order to improve, in a hands-on manner, the condition of the dwellings of Kitcisakik, located outside of reservation land, that have neither running water nor electricity. This work has been undertaken in close consul-tation with the Anishnabe (Algonquin) Nation, with the goal of developing skills, confidence and autonomy in a community having no legal status and where the residents are considered “squat-ters” of a land they never left.

Other than the crucial involvement of the pop-ulation in the development of renovation plans, the areas in which the intervention is focused are the following: children’s health; overcrowded dwellings; water access; sustainable development and salvaging materials; sustainable use of local

clocKwise From toP leFt architects, local natives and non-Profit MeMbers who worKed on Mission KitcisaKiK; victor Penosway PrePares construction tiMbers; three renderinGs of the new hoMes, Partially and coMPletely built.

wood and healthy forest management; self- sufficiency for construction lumber with a saw mill; solar panels and batteries to decrease air pollution from gas generators; and reinforcing expertise as well as the acquisition of new skills for the local workforce.

Around 15 Native labourers, counselled by Guillaume Lévesque, work on the jobsites in order to improve their community’s living condi-tions and durability of the houses. The training obtained on the jobsites will allow some Aborigi-nals to earn competency certificates from the CCQ (Commission de la Construction du Québec) and to earn a living autonomously.

The actions of this joint initiative have given rise to a virtual solidarity movement within the community by mobilizing both private businesses and government alike and have restored con fi-dence and pride to the members of the com mu-ni ty. In almost three years (2009-2011), 16 hous-es were renovated, while the program foresees the renovation of another 10 by the end of 2012.

Two sawmills were installed, thanks to the collaboration of the Frontiers Foundation and

the support of Lylas Polsen who trained the workers to use the equipment. Under the aegis of the architect, many donors offered over $550,000 in construction materials and over $200,000 in cash, including $40,000 donated by the Frontiers Foundation for the first two homes.

In December 2009, the SHQ (Société d’Habitation du Québec) announced support in the form of a million dollars earmarked for a renovation program for 30 houses. The Fonds Mikwam, a local housing corporation, was creat-ed to follow through on the renovations and to pay the Native labourers. At the same time, the federal arm committed a million dollars to allow the construction of the elementary school. The school was inaugurated in October 2010 and now allows children to attend school in their own village.

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client coMMunauté anicinaPe de KitcisaKiK, chief adrienne anichinaPéo, MiKwaM fund (auGustin Penoway, director)architect team GuillauMe lévesQue, bernard McnaMara, yves lanGevinnative team tciKy Penosway, MoniQue PaPatie, denis Jean-Pierre, dioMed PaPatie, Jean-Paul brazeau, axel PaPatie, benoit Penosway, rodericK PaPatie, alex PaPatie, Marie-anne PaPatie, PatricK Gunn, Jean-Paul Penosway, Jean-baPtiste Gunn, charley PaPatens, arMand PaPatie, Ghislain Penosway, hélène brazeau, rodney PaPatie, JéréMie PaPatie, Matts Gunn, Gilbert PaPatie, Peter PaPatie, victor PaPatieProJect Partner frontiers foundation (lylas Polsen, charles catto, Marco GuzMan)University Partners université laval (caroline desbiens, andré casault)strUctUral Geniex (Pierre brassard)contractor coMMunauté anicinaPe de KitcisaKiK, cooPérative de solidarité wenicec de KitcisaKiKarea 30 houses (750 ft2 each)BUdget $2 McomPletion 2009-2013

clocKwise From toP leFt an exterior Patio trellis Provides sheltered outdoor sPace; two iMaGes of native worKers froM the anishnabe nation that were Given on-the-Job traininG; overcrowded and unsafe housinG necessitated the iMProveMent of local livinG conditions; a finished exaMPle of one of the coMPleted houses; a construc-tion teaM Poses in front of a recently built hoMe.

Emergency Architects of Canada is committed to finding other financial partners and donors for the years 2012 and 2013, and invites volun-teers to work on jobsites with the local workers in order to promote intercultural cooperation and to dissolve prejudices towards Aboriginals. Encouraged by the feeling of pride within the community, Guillaume Lévesque wishes to repeat the experience with other communities and invites the workers to share and transfer their acquired skills.

Jury: Though not a conventional architectural project, this imaginative and pioneering initia-tive to improve physical conditions in First Nations communities deserves wider recognition. At its heart and with searing clarity, it embodies the most fundamental aspect of architecture, which is to transform human life for the better. It responds bravely to real and urgent needs, and applies technical skill with energy and dedica-tion. In recognizing the value and significance of this process, it is to be hoped such initiatives will become more widely emulated. ca

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28 canadian architect 05/12

governor general’s medal winner

delegation of the ismaili imamat

ProJect The DelegaTion of The ismaili imamaT, oTTawa, onTarioarchitects maki anD associaTes | moriyama & Teshima archiTecTsPhotos Tom arban

The Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat in Ottawa (Delegation Building) is a formal and symbolic representational building for the Ismaili Imamat in Canada and for the non-denominational, philanthropic and development agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network. An open and secular facil-ity, the Delegation Building is a sanctuary for peaceful quiet diplomacy, informed by a commitment to global pluralism and to the development of civil societies. The building powerfully symbolizes this important mission through its architectural “bridging of dichotomies” such as modernity + tradition, light + dark, indoor + outdoor, west + east.

Contained within a simple rectilinear footprint (43.5 metres wide, 87 metres long, resting on a podium of black granite), the building plan is configured as a “ring” of program enclosing two central symbolic spaces— a crystal-inspired domed atrium and an open-air interior courtyard. The atrium is located to the west and is accessible from the ceremonial entrance on Sussex Drive, while the modern four-season courtyard—adapted from the traditional Chahar Bagh, a Persian-Islamic walled garden—is located to the east.

The atrium is inspired by natural stone crystals, traditional dome con-struction and Islamic geom etries, and creates a highly distinctive and visi-ble landmark. The unique geometry of the atrium animates the interior

central hall and gathering space with an enchanting interplay of light and shadow. The quality of light within the hall is enhanced by virtue of a stunning jali screen composed of 180 custom-cast aluminum panels. The panel pattern—a double layer of repeating hexagons—evokes the screens of carved marble and wood that filter light and views in traditional Islamic architecture. Floating between the glass dome structure and the jali screen is a shading layer composed of triangular frames covered with woven glass- fibre meshing that gently transforms the quality of light filtering through. An intricately patterned floor of Canadian maple (49 geometric squares in reference to the 49th Imam) lends additional warmth and a domestic note of welcome.

Symbolically, crystals represent spiritual peace and healing. The power- ful yet modest design of the atrium and its delicate patterns of light and shadow evoke in visitors a profound sense of spiritual peace and optimism. The primacy of light and the interplay of contrasting opacity and trans-lucency is a strong theme of this work. Clad primarily in glass with varying degrees of transparency, translucency and opacity, the building achieves a dynamic visual effect. Crystallized glass panels (Neopariés)—a unique building material that gives the glass a soft opaque colour and a smooth marble-like finish almost porcelain in its quality and beauty—comprise the primary façades.

Like the natural beauty of a rock crystal that is a wonder to behold, it is hoped that the Delegation Building will be a source of optimism, fascination and enlightenment for all.

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oPPosite toP The eleganT formal enTry To The builDing, vieweD from sussex Drive. toP, left to right The iconic crysTal-like glass roof over The cenTral aTrium; The cusTom-DesigneD anD fabri-caTeD aluminum laTTicework of The Jali screen. above The inTer-ior courTyarD garDen beckons DespiTe iTs formaliTy.

client imara (sussex Drive) limiTeDarchitect team maki anD associaTes: fumihiko maki, gary kamemoTo, koTa kawasaki, TaTsuTomo hasegawa, isao ikeDa, makoTo oTake. moriyama & Teshima archiTecTs: TeD Teshima, DiarmuiD nash, norman Jennings, po ma, louis lorTie, emmanuelle van ruTTen, amanDa gilberT, ronen bauer, John blakey, shawn geDDes, roy gill, Joni inouye, aJon moriyama, farhaD rahbary, hany riZkalla, susana saiZ, elias saouD, chris yen.Planning team moriyama & Teshima planners (Drew wensley, Tara mccarThy, eric klaver)strUctUral halcrow yollesmechanical The miTchell parTnershipelectrical mulvey & bananilandscaPe moriyama & Teshima plannersinteriors maki anD associaTes in collaboraTion wiTh moriyama & Teshima archiTecTscontractor pcl consTrucTors canaDa inc.lighting suZanne powaDiuk Design inc. acoUstical aercousTics engineering lTD. food service Design.neT code leber rubes costing curran mccabe ravinDran ross inc.architectUral sPecifications Dgs consulTing services Planning lloyD phillips & associaTes lTD.traffic and civil Delcan corporaTion microclimate, wind and snow rowan williams Davis anD irwin inc. (rwDi) environmental and geotechnical golDer associaTes lTD.aUdio/visUal engineering harmonicsarea 8,916 m2 bUdget $54 mcomPletion november 2008

Jury: This is a significant addition to Ottawa’s repertoire of diplomatic buildings and puts Cana dian architecture firmly on the world stage. Impressively monumental in scale, the project combines a powerful civic presence with a remarkable level of sophistication. Its integration of trad-itional Islamic motifs such as specially crafted screens and a lush courtyard garden is choreographed with assurance and sensitivity, bringing the build-ing wonderfully to life as a delicate and sensual piece of architecture, while the quality of materials and detailing is outstanding. ca

30 canadian architect 05/12

governor general’s medal winner

integral house

ProJect Integral House, toronto, ontarIoarchitect sHIm-sutclIffe arcHItectsPhotos James Dow, BoB gunDu anD eDwarD Burtynsky

The Integral House is a place for architecture, music and performance located at the edge of a Toronto ravine. From the street, one reads a two-storey building with a grounded wood base sitting on top of a translucent, gently shaped etched-glass skin. The wooden base is composed of solid walls clad in oak that dissolve into oak-clad fins. These serpentine walls, made of vertical glass separated by projecting oak fins, form the gentle perimeter to the house, echoing the undulating contour lines of the river valley and the winding pathways in the native forest of oaks, maples and beeches. The client’s passion for curves provides a starting point for this project. Curvilinear vol-umes require double integrals and result in com-plex shapes that permeate this project.

The section of the house parallels the experi-ence of descending the ravine slope as well as ascending into the treetops. The key moment of the journey through the project is a performance

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space for 150 people to gather, located a full floor below entry level and visually intertwined with the ravine landscape. Upper-level dining and living areas double as balconies during a perfor-mance and provide additional seating overlook-ing the performance space. Each storey of the building has a different and emphatic relation-ship to the ravine landscape. At the lower floors, the experience of the forest floor is primary. As one ascends through the house, both the palette and spatial experiences lighten until one reaches the airy treetops.

Sustainability is integrated into the project and is not considered as a mere list of features. Be-neath the entry driveway, 23 geothermal pipes provide heating and cooling for the main perfor-mance space and the residence. The demands of an assembly space for large events and gatherings necessitate an approach that is simultaneously energy-efficient and extremely quiet. The proj-ect’s extensive green roof reduces the heat-island effect and serves as a visual feature that can be viewed from many parts of the building. The vertical wooden fins provide sun-shading on the

exterior and contribute to the acoustic quality of the performance space. Materials have been se-lected for their aesthetic contribution as well as for their enduring qualities based on life-cycle costing calculations.

Many experiments and explorations can be found throughout the project—fireplaces, stair-cases and door handles. One such element is a blue glass stair, the result of a collaboration be-tween glass artist Mimi Gellman, Norbert Sattler, Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, and structural engi-neer David Bowick. As a site-specific commis-sioned artwork, the stair is composed of hand-blown, laminated blue glass shingles supported by cast bronze clips and stainless steel cables. Laminated translucent glass treads span laser-cut steel treads and allow natural light to filter from a large upper skylight through the staircase to the spaces below. The Integral House’s blue glass stair is the result of an ongoing collaboration between an artist, an architect and an engineer working together to realize an ethereal space for inhabitation.

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client James stewartarchitect team BrIgItte sHIm anD HowarD sutclIffe (PrIncIPals), Betsy wIllIamson (ProJect arcHItect), anDrew Hart, DenIse HaraDem, mIke gooreVIcH, kyra clarkson, saraH Iwata, elena cHernysHoV, tHeo kelaDItIs anD aPrIl wong (moDel-makers)structural Blackwell BowIck engIneerIng (DaVID BowIck)mechanical toews engIneerIng (frank toews)electrical DynamIc DesIgns anD engIneerIng (tony monoPolI)landscaPe nak DesIgn grouP (roBert ng)contractor eIsner-murray DeVeloPments Inc. (steVe eIsner anD steVe murray)code HIne reIcHarD tomlIn Inc. (DaVe HIne)Fountain waterarcHItecture Inc. (Dan euser)area 18,000 ft2 Budget wItHHelD comPletion fall 2008longitudinal section

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Jury: A genuine gesamtkunstwerk in which indi-vidual parts combine to create a resonant and beautiful whole. Standing out as a new landmark in Canadian domestic architecture, the house is

a tour de force of elegance and expressiveness. The intimate relationship with site and land-scape, the lyrical play of light and intense focus on how things are made and put together makes

oPPosite toP tHe maIn entry to tHe House ProVIDes VIsItors wItH glImPses of tHe stunnIng VIews tHat awaIt InsIDe, anD IntroDuces a carefully HoneD anD fInely DetaIleD Palette of materIals. clocKwise From toP right all four leVels of tHe Integral House can Be VIeweD tHrougH tHe trees from tHe raVIne BeHInD; tHe elegantly DetaIleD swImmIng Pool on tHe Bottom leVel oPens uP to tHe exterIor terrace In warmer clImes VIa a mecHanIzeD wInDow wall tHat lowers Into tHe floor; VertIcal wooDen fIns enHance tHe fluID organIcIsm of tHe Performance sPace, anD ProVIDe solar sHaDIng as well as acoustIc BenefIts.

this a superlative achievement that extends the pioneering role of the private house in modern architecture. ca

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governor general’s medal winner

mississauga Public libraries

Projects Lakeview, Port Credit and Lorne Park Libraries, Mississauga, ontarioarchitect rdH arCHiteCts inC.Photos toM arban

The Mississauga Library Project is an adaptive reuse strategy for the major renovation and addi-tion to the Lakeview, Port Credit, and Lorne Park branch libraries, all dating from between 1956 and 1967. The three renovations have been struc-tured as one project, a strategy put forth by the client as a means to use public infrastructure stimulus funds in an efficient manner. Each of the three libraries is situated in a park setting; Lakeview and Lorne Park are embedded within established 1950s suburban neighbourhoods, and Port Credit is situated adjacent to the Credit River along Lakeshore Road, the commercial high street of the old town of Port Credit.

Originally designed as Mid-Century Modern buildings, the three libraries display similar

physical and aesthetic characteristics. As such, the design for the projects is based on the devel-opment of a single vocabulary of consistent parts, applied to each of the three libraries in a varied manner. The solution offers a balance between an appropriate response to three very similar historic buildings and an efficient solution for a fast-paced schedule. The resulting design trans-forms three tired modern facilities through an extensive process involving: a complete gutting of the interiors, a recladding and expansion of all glazed areas, the refurbishment of exterior masonry, and the development of a canopy frame system and set of exterior terraces—all of which is intended to change the aesthetic of the build-ing, engage with the street and park settings, and offer a number of new functional, protective and sustainable initiatives.

The existing exterior elevations of each library are composed as a basic rhythm of solid and void. The solid areas are comprised of vertical fields of

masonry; the void areas are comprised of vertical fields of glazing. This composition is respected and accentuated by increasing the amount of glazing in each void area, extending the glass from floor to ceiling and using a minimal detail-ing methodology.

Further accenting the composition of solid and void is the incorporation of a canopy and terrace system that wraps each library, creating a finer grain and vertical texture. The new steel-frame canopy systems attempt to integrate the existing building volumes, engage with the park setting,

clocKwise From toP Pink CoLuMns Lend Levity to tHe unequivoCaLLy Modernist voCabuLary of tHe Port Credit Library; tHe existing red briCk CLadding of tHe Lorne Park Library is uPdated witH a LigHtweigHt steeL CanoPy systeM tHat Provides sHeLter froM tHe eLeMents; two iMages of quiet grouP study rooMs in tHe Lakeview Library.

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clocKwise From toP four iMages of tHe Lake-view Library evidenCe tHe addition of a unifying CanoPy fraMe systeM; a detaiL of tHe Louvred sHading systeM; tHe exPressed struCture and duCtwork in tHe buiLding’s interior; and tHe abun-danCe of naturaL dayLigHt tHrougH tHe generous Provision of skyLigHts.

client Mississauga PubLiC Libraryarchitect team bob goyeCHe, tyLer sHarP, graHaM gavine, sanjoy PaL, Marnie wiLLiaMs, sCott waugH, george agnewstructural HaLsaLL assoCiates Ltd.mechanical/electrical jain assoCiates Ltd.landscaPe nak designcivil vaLdor engineering inC.contractor brown danieLs assoCiatesarea Lakeview 705 M2; Lorne Park 1,106 M2; Port Credit 754 M2 + 28 M2 additionbudget $8.9 McomPletion january 2011

provide for solid canopies, solar shading, volu-metric integration, LED lighting and planting. Further to this, the fields of glazing incorporate a custom ceramic frit patterning which re inforces the vertical striation of the colonnade. This undulating line pattern is conceived as a further extension of the solid and void relationship, a ceramic solar screen that reads like the opening and closing pages of a book.

A material vocabulary of transparency is uti-lized throughout all three libraries for increased sightlines and views within and out to the sur-rounding areas. This transparency is achieved through the use of extensive areas of glazed cur-tain wall, structural glass partition walls, low shelving, and the restoration of open planning at all three facilities. The restored open plans help to reinstate the original architectural aspiration of three clear, rational and open pavilions float-ing above their natural settings.

The Mississauga Public Library project revital-

izes three dilapidated Mid-Century Modern structures, acknowledging the historic relevance of Modernism by utilizing an efficient and re-spectful strategy, transforming the facilities by way of exploring and accentuating the existing Modernist condition. Consequently, the resulting buildings aspire to engender a new public appre-ciation for Modernist public buildings and en-courage a new generation of library users back to these important community institutions.

jury: In an era increasingly attuned to the de-mands of sustainable construction and the need to conserve resources, this astute and economical remodelling of a trio of library buildings is em-blematic of the growing social and cultural im-portance of adaptive reuse. Handled with a su-perb lightness of touch, the new interventions have a clarity and precision that subtly allude to the buildings’ Modernist origins. The dialogue between existing and contemporary parts is

clearly articulated and poetically expressed, re-vitalizing each library both as an individual building and as a wider neighbourhood focus. ca

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36 canadian architect 05/12

governor general’s medal winner

newmarket operations centre

project Newmarket OperatiONs CeNtre, Newmarket, ONtariOarchitect rDH arCHiteCts iNC.photos tOm arbaN

Municipal operations centres rarely attract atten-tion from designers or the public, despite their functions being critical to the life of most com-munities. The Newmarket Operations Centre represents an attempt to celebrate these services with a new civic landmark, promoting the town as a well-managed, forward-thinking and sustain-able community. The primary design challenge was to reconcile these goals with complex tech-nical requirements in a robust and very econom-ical structure. The building’s identity is defined by a rigorously pragmatic design vocabulary using off-the-shelf components; it embodies a re-thinking of the municipal operations centre con-sciously aimed at setting a new national standard for the design of this underappreciated typology.

Located in an industrial park visible from Mulock Drive—one of the primary entry points into Newmarket, the 6,100-square-metre pro-

gram consolidates three previously scattered mu-nicipal departments and includes offices, meet-ing and training spaces, and facilities for the storage, repair and washing of vehicles and equipment. The 11-hectare site includes parking, a works yard, outdoor materials storage and two prefabricated structures in addition to the main building.

A 4.2-metre change in grade is exploited, using a simple gabion basket retaining wall and landscaped extension of the building’s green roof, to provide a secure separation between public access at the upper level and the works yard below. This gesture incidentally creates the illusion, when entering the site, of two distinct structures.

The building is conceived as a sequence of parallel programmatic bars of alternating charac-ter. The public atrium and the three fleet work zones are daylit great rooms that use a minimalist industrial aesthetic to create a restrained and elegant background for work. All other spaces are housed in lower interstitial volumes. A circula-tion spine threads these elements together and

provides secure checkpoints between public, ad-ministrative, and fleet zones which often operate at different hours.

All users enter at the upper level of the public atrium, where reception and administrative of-fices are located; descending the grand stair one finds meeting spaces, training rooms and a cafe-teria. Staff can access changerooms underneath the green roof, emerging in the fleet work areas. Full-height glazed bifold overhead doors frame the entire north and south faces of these rooms, allowing one-way drive-through access to large vehicles. These doors are clad in curtain wall and appear, when closed, as a seamless continuation of the building envelope. When open they provide a large canopy, a continuous interior/exterior workspace, and effective cross-ventilation to the majority of the building. A suspended welded wire mesh ceiling acts as a scrim over the build-ing’s mechanical systems and structure while also preventing birds from nesting within.

Green strategies to achieve LEED Silver ac-creditation include geothermal heating and cool-ing, daylighting and natural ventilation to almost

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opposite tHe Newmarket OperatiONs CeNtre was CONstruCteD ON a fOrmer brOwNfielD site iN aN iNDustrial park. right, top to Bottom full-HeigHt glazeD bifOlD DOOrs permit large veHiCles tO Drive tHrOugH tHe builDiNg iNtO separate bays fOr wasHiNg, repair aND stOrage; a geNerOus publiC atrium permits Natural DayligHt tO flOOD tHe lOwer level.

all occupied spaces, an intensive green roof, solar hot water heating, stormwater reuse, and naturalized, drought-resistant planting. Further-more, the new site is a former brownfield, while the site of the former Operations Centre near the town centre will be reclaimed as part of a public park.

jury: This project elevates an ordinary brief for a municipal operations centre into an exercise in formal refinement and economy that sets new standards for such civically crucial but architec-turally neglected buildings. Through a rigorous, analytical approach, it reconciles demanding technical requirements with a crisply hewn architecture of sobriety and simplicity. Function-al efficiency is matched by a clear commitment to sustainability, as well as the laudable aim of enriching the building’s wider environs. ca

client tOwN Of Newmarket (briaN JONes, DireCtOr publiC wOrks serviCes)architect team bOb gOyeCHe, tONy lOpes, geOff miller, sCOtt wilsONstructural engineers Halsall assOCiates ltD.mechanical, electrical & sustainaBility JaiN & assOCiatescivil a.m. CaNDeras assOCiates iNC.landscape Nak DesigN grOupBuilder birD CONstruCtiONarea 6,115 m2 Budget $21.3 m completion OCtOber 2010

1 refleCtive membraNe rOOf2 iNteNsive greeN rOOf3 uNDergrOuND stOrmwater COlleCtiON4 stOrmwater reteNtiON area5 geOtHermal HeatiNg aND COOliNg6 future wiND turbiNe7 NaturalizeD vegetatiON8 sOlar HOt water HeatiNg array9 Daylit wOrkspaCe

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38 canadian architect 05/12

governor general’s medal winner

vaughan city hall

ProJect Vaughan City hall, Vaughan, OntariOarchitect Kuwabara Payne MCKenna bluMberg arChiteCtsPhotos tOM arban and Maris Mezulis

Originally a rural township located at the northern edge of Toronto, the city of Vaughan is transitioning from a rural past to an urban future. Since 1981, the town has grown from 29,647 to approximately 220,000 inhabitants, witnessing unprecedented growth and replacing farmland with housing and big-box retail. The Vaughan Civic Centre was the winning scheme in an invited design competition to set a tone for civic-minded and environ-mentally responsible development in the 21st century.

The competition terms required an architectural treatment for the new City Hall building and a master plan for the entire Civic Centre site, which includes a diverse program of Civic Square, Chamber of Commerce, admin-istrative offices, public spaces and gardens. The site comprises 24 acres on the site of the original City Hall designed in the 1970s. It is bounded on the north and west by multi-lane highways, while on the east it is bordered by inter-regional railway tracks and on the south it backs onto a residential subdivision.

The solution—a campus of low-rise buildings defining a public terrain of open spaces—was inspired by the clarity of town planning in Ontario, where City Hall, Civic Square, market and cenotaph form an identifiable civic pre-

cinct. In response to the city’s agricultural heritage, the campus is organized according to a series of bands informed by the east-west agricultural sub-division system and the north-south concession grid.

Officially opened in 2011, City Hall houses the Council Chamber, civic administrative offices and a Civic Tower, and implements the first phase of the master-plan vision. The buildings are stepped down in height from the northeast corner to the lower pavilions located at the west and south. The City Hall and Civic Tower anchor the composition and command the atten-tion of approaching traffic. An allée of maple trees along the southern edge of the Square leads to the main entrance of City Hall.

Exterior cladding materials include terra cotta, copper and glass curtain wall, combined with thick slabs of Ontario Wiarton and Halton Blue Ice stone for exterior landscape and interior floor finishes. Interior spaces are finished in maple and stained walnut, and major public circulation routes and assembly spaces will be finished in Ledgerock and Ontario limestone.

The architects raised the original LEED Silver target to Gold, and chal-lenged the City’s requirement for 900 surface parking spaces because it contradicted sustainability goals. The solution includes underground park-

aBove the VertiCality Of the illuMinated ClOCK tOwer is an iMPOrt-ant COunterPOint tO the hOrizOntality Of the new City hall. a generOus fOreCOurt will enable future aCtiVities liKe farMers’ MarKets and festiVals tO OCCur, aCtiVating this PubliC sPaCe.

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toP the well-designed and generOusly sCaled CiViC square. middle a View Of the Multi-stOrey Central lObby. aBove the bulging underbelly Of the COunCil ChaMber PrOMinently eMPhasizes the deMOCratiC PrOCess Of MuniCiPal POlitiCs in Vaughan.

client City Of Vaughan (ClaytOn harris, City Manager)architect team shirley bluMberg, bruCe Kuwabara, gOran MilOseViC, KeVin bridgMan, garth ziMMer, walter gaudet, andrea MaCarOun, artur KObylansKi, geOrge biziOs, shane O’neil, Carla MunOz, bill COlaCO, riChard wOng, safdar abidi, raMOn Janer, daVe sMythe, lilly liauKus, JaCKi ChaPel, arMine tadeVOsyanstructural halCrOw yOlles PartnershiP inC.mechanical stanteCelectrical MulVey & bananilandscaPe PhilliPs fareVaag sMallenbergtraffic & municiPal lea COnsulting ltd.leed dst COnsulting engineerssustainaBility stanteCcode leber rubesBuilding enveloPe brOOK Van dalencivil COnestOga-rOVersarea 320,000 ft2 Budget $105 McomPletion 2011

site Plan

1 City hall2 CiViC square3 library4 sKating/water feature5 exPansiOn OffiCes

ing, saving the surface land for green space. The plan is organized around interconnected, centrally located atria for daylight to reach the mid-point of the workspaces. When weather conditions are favourable, the atria windows open automatically to naturally ventilate the building. The building orienta-tion and the use of optimum amounts of glazing to reduce solar heat gain greatly reduce the need for a large HVAC system and artificial lighting. Offices have raised floors and flexible workstations, and the overall struc-ture is concrete slab with a concrete framework of circular columns and flared capitals.

Jury: An example of a large and complex municipal program that is deftly handled to the extreme, not only in terms of its thoughtful spatial organiza-tion and lucidly elegant architectural language, but also as a distinctive civic anchoring point in an expansive and loose-knit suburban milieu. The quality of materials and detailing, and the effects of light are all finely judged, re-inforcing the overall sense of a calm, dignified and recognizably contem-porary architecture designed to last and to embody the inherent decorum and efficiency of municipal life. ca

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40 canadian architect 05/12

governor general’s medal winner

axonometric

terrence donnelly health sciences complex

proJect Terrence Donnelly HealTH ScienceS complex, UniverSiTy of ToronTo miSSiSSaUga, onTarioarchitect KongaTS arcHiTecTSphotos SHai gil

The Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex (TDHSC) at the University of Toronto Missis-sauga accommodates teaching and research facilities for the new medical program to be based at the Mississauga campus. The campus has a history of forward-thinking design, and is composed of four buildings that have been rec-ognized by a number of OAA Awards of Excel-lence: the Student Centre; the Communications, Culture and Technology Building; the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre; and the Recreation, Athletic and Wellness Centre. The TDHSC has been designed to uphold the tradition of design excellence that the campus currently enjoys.

The functional programming of the TDHSC supports three primary user groups: the new Mississauga Academy of Medicine, the Depart-ment of Biomedical Communications, and the Department of Anthropology and Forensics. Each of the three user groups has very distinct space,

adjacency and identity requirements. A number of building massing configurations were initially explored, including a woven courtyard, an interi-or courtyard, and terraced gardens—to meet the program’s requirements.

The TDHSC is situated on sloped terrain rising up from the outer campus Ring Road, and will landmark the entrance to the proposed Academic Quad. The shifting floor plates of the TDHSC ac-centuate the soft landscape to the east, south and west, while the building’s north face, in its verti-cal uniformity, will provide a formal façade to the Academic Quad. The faceted stainless steel façades capture both natural and ambient artifi-cial light, ensuring its landmark presence is articulated 24/7.

The program at the TDHSC includes video conference-ready lecture theatres, classrooms, seminar rooms, faculty and administrative offices, and instructional laboratories. The facili-ty will also house the Biomedical Communica-tions program and five research laboratories. The innovative skin of glass and metal panels wrap a stacked series of boxes that step up the existing hill of the site. As the boxes enlarge and shrink to suit the requirements of the program they con-

tain, roof gardens and overhangs will be created. These gardens, in turn, will serve to integrate the building with its site while providing the occu-pants of each floor with private and communal outdoor terraces.

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client UniverSiTy of ToronToarchitect team alar KongaTS, Danielle lam-KUlczaK, pHilip TomS, DaviD SaSaKi, SUKie leUng, aleSSia SoppelSa, DieTer JanSSen, anDrea ling, Tyler WalKer, DereK mccallUm, eric van zifflestructural HalSall aSSociaTeS limiTeDmechanical/electrical croSSey engineering lTD.laboratory WaTSon maceWen TeramUra aSSociaTeSlandscape corban anD gooDecivil mgm conSUlTing inc.audio-visual engineering HarmonicScode ranDal broWn & aSSociaTeS lTD.cost a.W. HooKercommissioning Hfmbuilding envelope brooK van Dalen & aSSociaTeS limiTeDproJect manager pmx inc. (for THe UniverSiTy of ToronTo)contractor HarbriDge + croSS limiTeDarea 6,000 m2 budget $25 mcompletion fall 2011

In keeping with the University of Toronto’s mandate for sustainable building, the Health Sci-ences Complex has been designed for LEED Gold certification.

Jury: A large institutional building is articulated and humanized by skillful massing and the in-ventive treatment of the façade. A cladding sys-tem of shimmering metal fins animates the stacked-box arrangement of volumes, and gives the building a distinctive set-piece quality amidst its campus neighbours. Interiors are luminous and civilized with ample natural light, and the

opposite top THe vieW-inSpireD oUTDoor Ter-race iS proTecTeD by a generoUS canTi-levereD overHang. above leFt STainleSS STeel finS aDD DepTH anD SHaDoW To THe inTelligenTly compoSeD STacKeD floor plaTeS. above right a Dynamic vieW of THe proJecT WiTH iTS peDeSTrian SKyWalK linK-ing iT To an exiSTing bUilDing.

sliding stacked volumes create terraces for en-counter and engagement. The quality of detailing is exceptional and the sophisticated use of mate-rials lifts the building into a class of its own. ca

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300 EXHIBITORSFROM CANADAAND FROM OVER15 COUNTRIESPRESENTWHAT’S NEWAND WHAT’S HOT IN DESIGN TODAYPRODUCTSTRENDS IDEASDESIGNSHOW24.25.26MAY 2012PLACEBONAVENTUREMONTRÉALSIDIM.COM

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Deep Roots in a new eneRgy CityDes assises soliDes pouR la ville Des éneRgies nouvellesDelta st. John’s Hotel and Conference Centrest. John’s, newfoundland and labrador | terre-neuve-et-labradorJune 12-16, 2012 | 12 au 16 juin 2012

pResenteD by | pRésenté paR

Newfoundland & Labrador Association of Architects

For more information and to register pour en savoir davantage et pour s’inscrire

Festival.RaiC.oRg

venez célébrer l’architecture avec vos collègues et profitez de l’événement pour :

• suivre des activités de formation continue donnant droit à des heures de formation dirigée;

• entendre des conférenciers inspirants;

• assister à des remises de prix et distinctions à des professionnels qui se sont illustrés au cours de l’année;

• participer à diverses activités sociales, visites architecturales et occasions de réseautage;

• profiter des belles journées d’été à st. John’s, ville accueillante; et plus encore!

Come celebrate architecture with your colleagues while enjoying:

• Continuing education courses that qualify for core credits (hours)

• inspiring talks from keynote speakers

• presentation of awards and Honours with the top professionals of the year

• social activities, tours and networking

• summer days in friendly st. John’s, and much more!

pHoto: neD pRatt pHotogRapHy – CouRtesy oF / aveC l’autoRisation De : pHb gRoup inC.

2012 Festival_can arch_ad.indd 1 2/22/2012 4:41:21 PM

44 canadian architect 05/12

governor general’s medal winner

Bloc_10

ProJect Bloc_10, Winnipeg, ManitoBaarchitect 5468796 architecturePhotos 5468796 architecture

Bloc_10 is a condominium project situated on a busy traffic corridor in Winnipeg’s postwar neighbourhood of River Heights. Starting from a standard three-storey vertical volume, the indi-vidual floor plates of each walk-up are strung together along a common core, then staggered across the site to provide unique unit compos-itions and a multiplicity of views.

The strict zoning setbacks established the in-itial maximum mass of the development. This mass was then carved back to allow for vehicular movement and outdoor areas, while leaving a screen wall in place of the initial allow able built volume. Inside, a common service core contains all mechanical services and circulation space in the building, freeing the open living space to ac-commodate a wide range of “white box” layouts.

Dotted across each elevation are six-foot-deep cantilevered projections that extend the floor plates on alternating levels. Intermediate decks criss-cross the entire façade, shielded from the street by a layer of wooden slats. This screen wall forms a protective veil responding to the amount of traffic driving past the site. By providing a buf-

fer against noise and unwanted visual stimuli, the building is able to face the street instead of turning away like most of the other houses on the strip.

At the project’s outset, the client expressed a desire for simple wood-frame construction and an uncomplicated building envelope. The “white box” concept arose from the need for a low entry-level price point, as well as flexibility in how the units could be sold and marketed.

The adaptability of plumbing, HVAC and elec-trical systems is also critical to the success of a white box development. These systems must pro-vide efficient, coherent connection points to limit costs of future extensions and modifica-tions of the system, without restricting layout possibilities. Electrical distribution begins at the main floor in the stairwell wall and diagonally follows the ceiling to each floor connection. The main water supply and all drain lines run verti-cally within the plumbing walls. This arrange-ment situates the mechanical areas at the core of the building rather than the more coveted ex-terior wall areas.

Individuals can take advantage of this flexi-bility to customize their living situations into a number of dwelling scenarios. The design en-ables “wet” functions to be developed on any

floor, allowing users to inhabit each level any way they choose.

The architectural challenge was to take an ex-pected, generic typology and create something unexpected—to shake up the white box. The final design uses basic, seemingly standard built ele-ments (stairs, plumbing chases, windows and doors, floors and skin) to create a unique, co-hesive whole—regardless of the eventual inhabit-ations of each unit.

Bloc_10 is a study in how a box design can be both simple and complex. The standard three-storey walk-up building typology is reimagined, distributing 10 original layouts across and through the site. The stacking and staggering of unit floor plates results in a complex relationship between neighbours. All units have access to full north and south exposures, typically with an additional east or west face, making eight of ten units into three-sided corner suites. The variable layout also provides every tenant a place of refuge from the traffic noise on Grant Avenue.

Jury: This eye-catching block of multi-family housing reworks the familiar typology of the low-rise terrace block to striking effect. Apartments fit together with the pleasing complexity and in-

05/12 canadian architect 45

oPPosite toP an iMage of the typologically innovative loW-rise condoMiniuM taken along Winnipeg’s Busy grant avenue. toP Wood screens forM a protective veil, Buffer-ing against noise and unWanted visual stiMuli. aBove an interior vieW of one of the corner units—the coMposition of each condo is unique in terMs of vieW and lay-out. Bottom right a skyWard vieW of the underside of the deck and Wood screen Wall.

client green seed developMent corporationarchitect team sharon ackerMan, Mandy aldcorn, ken Borton, Jordy craddock, Michelle heath, aynslee hurdal, Johanna hurMe, cristina ionescu, grant laBossiere, Jayne Miles, colin neufeld, Zach pauls, sasa radulovic, shannon WieBestructural lavergne draWard & associatesmechanical g.d. stasynec & associates ltd.electrical McW/age consulting professional engineersBuilder green seed developMent corporation + holZ con-structors inc.area 10,000 ft2 Budget $2 M comPletion octoBer 2011

genuity of a Chinese puzzle, offering spatial and experiential variety. Thought ful consideration of materials gives the scheme an uplifting confi-dence within its unremarkable suburban context. Handled with sensitivity and flair, this project shows what can be achieved by applying intelli-gence and imagination to an often disregarded building type. ca

structural comPonents

exPloded axonometric

solid core

flexiBle Block

haBitaBle shell

thin screen

46 canadian architect 05/12

governor general’s medal winner

college of new caledonia

ProJect College of New CaledoNia—TeChNi Cal Trades CeNTre, QuesNel, BriTish ColumBiaarchitect offiCe of mCfarlaNe Biggar arChi-TeCTs + desigNers iNC (CommeNCed as mCfarlaNe | greeN | Biggar arChiTeCTure + desigN iNC)Photos omB/JeaN-PhiliPPe delage

This new 2,500-square-metre Technical Educa-tion Centre provides safe and flexible space for the instruction of technical and industrial trades and related curricula. The building was complet-ed in 2011 on a very tight timeline, and delivered within a very modest construction budget. The facility supports 250 students in a broad array of courses, including welding, millwright, carpen-try, plumbing and electrical programs. The pro-gram possesses an inherent toughness that served as inspiration for the project and is cele-brated throughout.

The project is the second phase of the College of New Caledonia’s seven-hectare Quesnel cam-pus, and complements the Main Campus Build-ing completed in 2006. Situated on a brownfield site, the building mediates between the existing college parking area and the forested bluff that marks the edge of the campus to the south.

clocKwise from aBove This reCeNT addiTioN To The College of New CaledoNia CamPus ProJeCTs a loNg, low-sluNg Profile; Bold graPhiCs eNliveN iNTerior doors; a humBle maTerial PaleTTe CoNveys The iNdusTrial verNaCular; CleresTory wiN-dows Provide diffuse lighTiNg To The aTrium aNd shoPs iN The Two-sTorey rear volume of The BuildiNg.

The formal parti is derived from the clear divi-sion between indoor/outdoor industrial learning spaces and more traditional classroom settings, and is further informed by the desire for easy linear expansion to the west. The programmatic elements are organized in a single storey and are differentiated through the building’s simple vol-umes and materials.

A two-storey linear atrium space organizes the major programmatic elements succinctly and provides a naturally ventilated connection to the Main Campus Building. A multi-cell poly-carbonate glazing system provides abundant day-light while controlling glare from southern ex posure. The lush greenery of the forest edge provides the backdrop to the more contemplative classroom, administrative, and gathering spaces, while a full-height meticulously detailed wooden glazing system provides extended views into the landscape and delivers natural ventilation. The busy shop spaces and the associated works yard are proudly oriented toward the centre of the campus, and are generously proportioned to allow for multiple uses and infinite flexibility.

The construction of the building is relatively straightforward. The tightly controlled materiali-

ty is a direct descendant of the humble material palette of the industrial vernacular. Materials were chosen for their capacity to develop a patina over time in lieu of onerous maintenance. Ground-face load-bearing concrete masonry units envelop the shops and support recycled steel joists and decking. Polycarbonate clerestory glazing emits diffuse light in the shops and atri-um, while black fibre-cement panels provide a neutral backdrop to the myriad of activities in the works yard. Plain-sawn fir plywood is deployed strategically throughout the interior, in homage to the region’s wood-based economy.

The building demonstrates commitment to sustainable building practices, targeting LEED Gold certification. Building green in the north requires a focus on the optimization of energy

05/12 canadian architect 47

performance. Special attention was focused on balancing the desire for transparency and natural light with building thermal performance to minimize demand on active mechanical systems. Interiors were fitted out with low-emitting materials, chosen for high recycled content and locally sourced wherever possible. In response to the rugged nature of the program, finishes were selected for their durability and natural appearance.

Jury: Transformed by a series of big, bold moves that celebrate basic materials, modular construc-tion and an industrial ethos, this modest pro-gram for a technical trades college elevates the commonplace into the heroic. Embedded within the sober, stripped-back structure, a dignified and generous set of spaces form an uplifting en-vironment for technical education and show how apparently ordinary buildings can be elevated into truly memorable architecture. ca

client College of New CaledoNiaarchitect team sTeve mCfarlaNe, miChelle Biggar, aNaBella alfoNzo, miNgyuk CheN, JeaN-PhiliPPe delage, BeTh deNNy, NiCk fosTer, Josie graNT, JeNNell hagardT, gerry reiBliNg, lydia roBiNsoN, feliz sarCePuedes, susaN sCoTT, Barry woNg, JiNg Xustructural eQuiliBrium CoNsulTiNgmechanical/electrical CoBalT eNgiNeeriNgcode ghl CoNsulTaNTscivil l&m eNgiNeeriNglandscaPe Pwl ParTNershiPsPecifications morris sPeCifiCaTioNsBuilder PCl CoNsTruCTioNarea 2,500 m2 comPletion sPriNg 2011Budget $9.5 m

ground floor

1 eXisTiNg BuildiNg 2 liNk hallway 3 sTaff louNge 4 Classroom 5 washrooms/loCkers 6 offiCes 7 aTrium 8 eleCTriCal room 9 meChaNiCal room10 eleCTriCal/PlumBiNg shoP11 CarPeNTry shoP12 Power eNgiNeeriNg shoP13 weldiNg shoP14 griNdiNg room15 shoP eNTry16 sTorage

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2 yard3 eXisTiNg BuildiNg4 eXisTiNg ParkiNg loT5 geoThermal field6 sTeeP sloPe7 To NorThsTar road

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48 canadian architect 05/12

governor general’s medal winner

linear house

Project Linear House, saLt spring isLand, BritisH CoLumBiaarchitect patkau arCHiteCts inC.Photos James dow

Linear House is located on a 16-acre farm on Salt Spring Island, an island in the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia. The property is bisected from east to west by a long row of mature Douglas fir trees. The south half of the site is an orchard containing fruit trees; the north half of the prop-erty is a hay field. There was an existing cottage on the property which was sold and relocated to a

neighbouring property. The existing barn, garage and studio buildings remain.

The row of large Douglas fir trees stabilizes one’s experience by providing a place to stand, to be next to, and to locate position in the open fields. The trees themselves are textural, old, torn and windswept. They force the realization of the time of the site, of its existence over many years. They have a kind of old heart, and the impulse to site the new house next to these figures was both intuitive and immediate.

The new house extends 276 feet in a straight line in the narrow space between the fir trees to

the north and the orchard to the south. The or-chard has been made more regular with additional fruit trees so that the clarity of the juxtaposition between the cultural landscape of fruit trees to the south, and the line of native fir trees to the north, is reinforced. The full extent of the house is never directly experienced from the exterior. The expe-rience is of a dark stealth-like figure sliding in and out behind the screens of trees on either side. At a parting of the fir trees, the length of the house is subdivided by a breezeway into a princi-pal dwelling and then guest quarters.

Due to its cladding of charcoal-coloured fibre-

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20 ft0

oPPosite, clocKwise From toP tHe Linear House rests unoBtrusiveLy in its wooded isLand setting; tHe Brooding and grapHiC west eLevation; tHe House trans forms into an open-air paviLion via retraCtaBLe gLazed door paneLs. aBove tHe extreme Linearity and seamLess fLow of tHe House is experienCed from tHe starkLy minimaList kitCHen/dining area.

Floor Plan0 20’

cement panels, the house is rendered almost invisible when seen against the dark foliage of the firs. Interiors are described by a luminous inner lining made of translucent acrylic panels. Over 40 fixed and operable acrylic skylights bring sunlight into the roof and wall assemblies during the day, causing the interior liner to glow softly and irregularly. At night, fluorescent lights mounted within the skylight openings turn the entire interior into a luminous field. Areas with-in this overall luminous surround are subdivided by re inforced concrete fireplace masses and wood cabinet-like service spaces. Large glazed openings extending up to 78 feet, along with 28-foot cantilevered roof canopies at either end of the house, are supported by a pair of six-foot-deep composite wood beams on each long building face. The numerous top-hung sliding aluminum glazed door panels are suspended

client witHHeLdarchitect team greg BootHroyd, CHristina gray, steffen knaB, Hiro kurozumi, renee martin, JoHn patkau, patriCia patkau, peter suterstructural read Jones CHristoffersen Ltd.enveloPe spratt emanueL engineering Ltd.contractor g-speed ConstruCtion Ltd.area 3,500 ft2 Budget witHHeLdcomPletion 2009

from these beams. Given the prolonged fair weather in Salt Spring Island, the panels are fully retractable so that the house can be transformed into an open-air pavilion, more shelter than house proper.

jury: As an innovative contemporary variation on the pavilion in the landscape, this is an im-mensely compelling and dramatic example of do-mestic architecture. The linear form powerfully demarcates the house’s presence in the land-scape, framing and defining views along its length, while the sides open up to blur the dis-tinction between inside and out, connecting the occupants both visually and experientially with nature. Skillfully realized in terms of materials, spatial quality and the play of light, it is a sophis-ticated and sensitive reworking of the classic rural retreat. ca

1 kitCHen/dining2 Living room3 master Bedroom

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4 master ensuite5 offiCe6 guest Bedrooms & wasHroom

50 canadian architect 05/12

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For­more­inFormation­about­these,­and­additional­list-ings­oF­Canadian­and­inter-national­events,­please­visitwww.canadianarchitect.com

calendar

cOntact 2012 May 1-30, 2012 Exploring the theme of “public,” this annual month-long festival of photography in Toronto features over 1,000 local, national and international artists exhibiting at almost 200 venues. http://scotiabankcontactphoto.com

doors Open torontoMay 26-27, 2012 Doors Open 2012 looks back over the past 200 years to reveal the fascinating personalities who shaped Toronto’s architecture and history. More than 135 archi-tecturally, historically, culturally and socially significant buildings will open their doors for the week-end and highlight the people who built this city. www.toronto.ca/doorsopen/

construction law Update torontoMay 30, 2012 This intensive one-day construction law conference on at the Toronto Don Valley Hotel & Suites will provide attendees with

the tools to master the legal com-plexities of any project to avoid pitfalls, accomplish objectives, and increase profitability.www.constructionlawonline.ca extreme Makeover—Whole Building retrofitsJune 5, 2012 This breakfast session takes place from 7:30am to 10:00am at the Four Seasons Vancouver, and brings together building owners and experts from building sciences, architectural design, engineering, operations, and management to discuss one of the great challenges fac ing the aging building sector in the 21st century.http://marketinsights2012.eventbrite.com

4th annual transforming & revitalizing downtown SummitJune 6-7, 2012 This event at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Hamilton provides inspiring case studies to stimulate ideas for vibrant down-towns. Hear leading practitioners

discuss innovative approaches to enhancing liveability in municipal-ities of all sizes.www.revitalizingdowntowns.net

canadian institute’s Forum on collaborative Project deliveryJune 6-7, 2012 This conference at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver offers key insights and practical tools that companies need to optimize collaboration in construction pro-jects in order to minimize risk, costs and delays.www.canadianinstitute.com/project-delivery

caGBc national conference and expoJune 11-13, 2012 With this year’s theme of “Beyond Buildings: The Green City,” the conference at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre will explore where green building is headed by looking at how to imple-ment sustainable design and oper-ations on a grander scale.www.cagbc.org/2012conference

2012 raic Festival of architectureJune 13-16, 2012 Taking place in St. John’s, Newfoundland and with the theme of “Deep Roots in a New Energy City,” this year’s conference is an opportunity to engage in pro-fessional development and to net-work with others interested in the multifaceted world of architecture.www.raic.org

reimagining Ontario Place workshopJune 14, 2012 This workshop at the Design Exchange in Toronto con-cerns both designing “experiences” and focusing on challenges that non-profit organizations have with engaging the public. Cost is $50 per workshop ($40 for DX members). www.dx.org/workshops

54 canadian architect 05/12

BacKPaGe

concrete ideas

A recent Architecture grAduAte reflects upon the chAllenges presented by A design studio speculAting on the quAlities of concrete used in brutAlist buildings.

teXt AlessiA soppelsA

The images I had excitedly anticipated in Nervi’s organic lines, Kahn’s monumentality, and Scarpa’s details quickly dissipated as we were asked to respond to the virtues of 1960s and ’70s Brutalist buildings in Toronto. Had not the pres-ence of these dull, grey masses slipped into our urban subconscious? Why now shine the pro-verbial spotlight on them?

To question and evaluate the current cultural status of concrete in light of technological advan-cements in the material would be a valid reason. Toronto’s stock of Brutalist buildings became the backdrop and context against which—as an archi-tectural design studio—we would hypothesize and experiment. Could a more self-conscious aes-theticization of concrete as a material used in infrastructure, building, or simply surface, break down our preconceptions about the value of this useful substance?

Solid. Real. Definite. These words define and describe concrete as both material and adjective. How could something evoking a strong physical

aBoVe, LeFt to riGht VAnessA grAhAm’s digi­tAlly mAnipulAted imAge of the medicAl sciences building At the uniVersity of toronto plAys with the concept of delAminAtion; AlessiA soppelsA photo­grAphed the sherAton centre, then re­imAgined its ribbed exterior As A woVen concrete surfAce.

presence simultaneously represent visionary ideals? The rawness of the Brutalist buildings we studied exposed themselves for what they were: dependants of their formwork. With curious eyes, we set out to photograph, document and capture this concrete aesthetic by focusing on particular details. Through our ensuing exercises in visual abstraction, these buildings underwent a transformation where heavy masses became ex-pressive fields.

What would happen if we exaggerated some of the visual aspects of the seemingly banal concrete details to question, challenge and inspire new potentials for this humble material? For ex-ample, the precast panels of the Sheraton Centre Hotel in Toronto fascinate me. The unrelenting ribbed vertical panels of this hotel dutifully fulfill their task of shedding water, yet the fine-grain texture of the concrete, coupled with the cordu-roy-like quality of the panels, acquire a real warmth upon closer inspection. When I used Photoshop to visually introduce a horizontal set of ribs, a woven surface began to emerge, which instantly attained a hand-crafted appearance. As others in the design studio similarly discovered, these investigations were not intended to restore or improve, but to inspire us to rethink the value of concrete for future projects.

The concentration of Brutalist buildings in Toronto thus became the testing ground for visual experimentations through Photoshop manipulations. The visual documentation, ques-tions and speculations that were produced in the studio were assembled into a school publication entitled Concrete Ideas: Material to Shape a City, which contains essays from notable architects and theorists that challenge us to reconsider the cultural status of concrete—once considered cold and inhospitable—as a much more supple material. ca

Alessia Soppelsa was one of the managing editors of Concrete Ideas: Material to Shape a City, a book pro-duced alongside the similarly named design studio led by Pina Petricone at the University of Toronto’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design. The book is available though Oscar Riera Ojeda Publishers.

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