Professional Documents
Culture Documents
95 jan/10
v.55 n.01
responsive architecture
Gets attention.
Cedar Impressions® Polymer Siding
captures the natural cedar shingle look.
800-233-8990 • certainteed.com
EXTERIOR: ROOFING • SIDING • WINDOWS • FENCE • RAILING • TRIM • DECKING • FOUNDATIONS • PIPE
I N T E R I O R : INSULATION • GYPSUM • CEILINGS
After more than 40 years of being admired for outstanding insulation values, our
insulated wall panels are now being recognized for more than just what’s on the
inside. Our panels give designers unprecedented design flexibility by fitting either
horizontally or vertically, by varying module widths and offering pre-formed / radius
corners. It’s no wonder they’re finding their way into some of the most beautiful
buildings around. And, perhaps best of all, our panels stand the test of time,
because only Metl-Span uses an innovative manufacturing process that eliminates
blistering on the panel face. So next time, specify the building materials you can
start admiring well before construction and keep on admiring for decades into the
future. Specify Metl-Span insulated metal panels.
shai Gil
32 technical
24 langara college liBrary and Kathy Velikov and Geoffrey Thün describe
the complex process of designing and
student centre building North House, an important
the iNCorporatioN of bold formal Gestures iN this faCility by teeple arChiteCts iN prototype for sustainable living.
assoCiatioN with ibi/hb arChiteCts provides a welCome ChaNGe iN the City of
vaNCouver. teXt matthew soules
35 report
Leslie Jen comments on the recent spec-
tacle of CERSAIE 2009, a massive inter-
national trade show devoted exclusively to
briaN dust
40 calendar
L eonardo da Vinci: The Mechanics of Man at
the Vancouver Art Gallery; Francine Hou-
ben of Mecanoo Architecten lectures at
Ryerson University.
42 Backpage
An architect strives to convert a portion of
Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway into an
elevated park in the city’s downtown core.
editor
Ian ChodIkoff, OAA, MRAIC
associate editor
LesLIe Jen, MRAIC
editorial advisors
John MCMInn, AADIpl.
MarCo PoLo, OAA, MRAIC
contributing editors
GavIn affLeCk, OAQ, MRAIC
herbert enns, MAA, MRAIC
above Led by busby PerkIns + wILL and ConCord PaCIfIC, shaPe vanCouver 2050 Is an douGLas MaCLeod, nCARb
regional correspondents
onLIne researCh InItIatIve Intended to GuIde future PoLICIes reGardInG urban densIfICa- halifax ChrIstIne MaCy, OAA regina bernard fLaMan, SAA
tIon and sustaInabILIty. montreal davId theodore calgary davId a. down, AAA
Winnipeg herbert enns, MAA vancouver adeLe weder
publisher
Because competition amongst Vancouver archi- lars, tonnes of carbon, and cubic feet of asphalt toM arkeLL 416-510-6806
tects is so high (the city has the highest concen- can be saved if we can promote higher-density associate publisher
GreG PaLIouras 416-510-6808
tration of architects per capita in Canada), many urban living. Shape Vancouver is merely intend- circulation Manager
firms have been forced to either merge their ed to gauge the public’s opinion of the extent to beata oLeChnowICz 416-442-5600 ext. 3543
custoMer service
practices—as Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden which we can alter Vancouver’s skyline for the MaLkIt Chana 416-442-5600 ext. 3539
Architects has done recently with Cohos Evamy— better, being careful to note that “it does not pro- production
JessICa Jubb
or engage in research that distinguishes them vide metrics for more complex issues such as af- graphic design
sue wILLIaMson
from the rest of the pack. Bing Thom Architects fordability, amenities, transportation or other vice president of canadian publishing
has developed research and policy reports on social issues.” The initial results were released in aLex PaPanou
president of business inforMation group
housing and changing demographics. Henriquez mid-January with ongoing results and commen- bruCe CreIGhton
Partners Architects intends to publish an issues- tary continuing thereafter. Based on responses head office
12 ConCorde PLaCe, suIte 800,
related book every two years—its latest volume is from participants, an average build-out should toronto, on M3C 4J2
telephone 416-510-6845
to be released shortly. Although many of the be developed by the beginning of February. facsimile 416-510-5140
e-mail edItors@CanadIanarChIteCt.CoM
city’s architecture firms are staffed with “LEED- Hopefully, the survey will provide guidance for Web site www.CanadIanarChIteCt.CoM
ites” who are well-versed in all things “sustain- the City of Vancouver to correlate issues affecting Canadian architect is published monthly by business Information Group,
a division of bIG Magazines LP, a leading Canadian information company
able,” one firm—Busby Perkins + Will—remains sustainable design practices with existing and in- with interests in daily and community newspapers and business-to-business
information services.
the leader in this regard. Under the direction of creasingly obsolete zoning regulations. The City’s the editors have made every reasonable effort to provide accurate and
authoritative information, but they assume no liability for the accuracy or com-
Peter Busby, who continues to use that rare com- planning department still struggles to develop a pleteness of the text, or its fitness for any particular purpose.
bination of strong design skills and business firm direction regarding the implementation of subscription rates Canada: $52.95 plus applicable taxes for one year;
$83.95 plus applicable taxes for two years (Gst – #809751274rt0001).
acumen to advocate for greener cities, Busby Per- proactive sustainable planning measures. But Price per single copy: $6.95. students (prepaid with student Id, includes
taxes): $32.50 for one year. usa: $101.95 us for one year. all other
kins + Will has recently launched a new online while the City has been promoting its EcoDensity foreign: $120.00 us per year.
us office of publication: 2424 niagara falls blvd, niagara falls, ny 14304-
poll to question Vancouverites’ opinion of their and Greenest City platforms, Busby has been 5709. Periodicals Postage Paid at niagara falls, ny. usPs #009-192.
us postmaster: send address changes to Canadian architect, Po box 1118,
precious skyline and the environmental implica- working hard at testing and evolving the implica- niagara falls, ny 14304.
tions of intensifying the city’s downtown core. tions of increased density through his own list of return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation dept., Canadian
architect, 12 Concorde Place, suite 800, toronto, on Canada M3C 4J2.
For those unfamiliar with the shape of Van- projects, especially in the areas surrounding the Postmaster: please forward forms 29b and 67b to 12 Concorde Place, suite
800, toronto, on Canada M3C 4J2. Printed in Canada. all rights reserved.
couver’s downtown peninsula, it is a carefully Canada Line, for which his firm has been com- the contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in full
without the consent of the copyright owner.
monitored and controlled entity, with view cones missioned to design three stations. from time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies
(developed in part by Busby Bridger Architects While we appreciate Vancouver Mayor Gregor and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not
wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via
in 1989), height restrictions and design guide- Robertson’s 2020 action plan entitled “A Bright one of the following methods:
telephone 1-800-668-2374
lines that have taken decades to develop and ac- Green Future”—part of his desire to make Van- facsimile 416-442-2191
e-mail privacyofficer@businessinformationgroup.ca
cept. But as the city grows, what are the real couver the greenest city in the world by 2020—the mail Privacy officer, business Information Group, 12 Concorde Place, suite 800,
benefits of mitigating Vancouver’s carbon foot- City would be wise to move beyond motherhood toronto, on Canada M3C 4J2
member of the canadian business press
print, and what are the realistic limitations to statements and gear up toward an action plan that member of the audit bureau of circulations
publications mail agreement #40069240
its growth? Entitled “Shape Vancouver 2050” promotes and builds real projects, not just pub- issn 0008-2872
(www.shapevancouver.com), Busby’s initiative was lish a wish list of benchmarks. Simply put, if the
developed in conjunction with the developer implications of Shape Vancouver 2050 and its
Concord Pacific. The project involves an inter- findings are folded into building and zoning regu-
active website allowing visitors to clearly visual- lations, the City will find that its accomplishments
ize—through the manipulation of building heights may prove more tangible than any of its intermin-
and densities—how taller buildings can affect able eco-reports. It isn’t just the competition
variables like carbon savings, energy consump- amongst Vancouver architects that is fierce, but
tion, infrastructure costs and automobile usage. also that city’s need to compete on the global stage.
The survey makes no claim that tall buildings Vancouver must shape up, or lose its capacity to We acknoWledge the financial support of the
government of canada through the publications
are a panacea for our cities’ environmental ills, become a global leader in sustainable living. assistance program toWards our mailing costs.
pap registration no. 11093
but it certainly makes us aware of how many dol- Ian ChodIkoff ichodikoff@canadianarchitect.coM
BM
®
INFO
www.arcat.com
CirCle reply Card 14
WALLTITEECO
TM
Major prerequisites for renewable raw materials to become an alternative to fossil resources are their availability at competitive prices for industrial applications, without compromising food production and depleting the
natural wealth. For its insulation material: WALLTITE ECOTM, BASF Canada has chosen to use renewable content from non-edible crops that do not jeopardize global food production.
WALLTITE ECOTM and foam mastersTM are trademarks and Raising Performance To New Heights® is a registered trademark of BASF Canada. EcoLogoM is a registered mark of Environment Canada.
PrOjects
2009 Canadian
Architectural Practices
Benchmark Study
A study on architectural
practices has just been published
by Canadian Architect magazine
and the Royal Architectural
Institute of Canada. For the first
time, firms can compare their
operations to hundreds
of others across Canada. Make
sure your firm has a copy of
this foundational study.
• How does your firm’s growth compare with other similar firms?
• Is your employee compensation on par with everyone else’s?
• How do your billings compare to other firms?
• On average, how many RFP’s do firms respond to per year?
• How does your rate of winning commissions compare to other firms?
• What is the average cost to develop a proposal?
Sort
and Dominic Giroux awarded a first prize of
c3 community care consortium wins 2009 $5,000 to the Italian team of Daniele Rocchio and ª
academy award for Mental health design. Ferdinando Mazza from the Facoltà di Architet-
The C3 Community Care Consortium—comprised
of Montgomery Sisam Architects, Kearns Manci-
tura Valle Giulia Sapienza. Second-place winners
Dylan Sauer and Joe Smith from the Yale School
recycling system
ni Architects and KPMB Architects—has recently of Architecture received $3,000 in prize money. designedÊbyÊJohnÊRizzi
been honoured with an Academy Award from the And taking third place was Ryerson University’s
International Academy of Design and Health for Michael Blois, Sean MacLean and Jason Fung,
Mental Health Design. The Academy recognizes who shared a prize of $2,000. Prizes were award-
mental health design projects that provide a civi- ed based on each submission’s contribution to
lized and humane setting to support therapeutic the research, creation and critique of new ideas
intervention. The Award was given for Phase IA for a school of architecture—specifically one that
of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health serves a culturally diverse community while pro-
(CAMH) in Toronto. CAMH is Canada’s leading viding an innovative and globally competitive ed-
addiction and health treatment centre, and suc- ucation. There was no specific site for the pro-
ceeds in transforming the lives of affected indi- ject, other than a general location within the
viduals by applying the latest in scientific ad- downtown of the City of Greater Sudbury.
vances through integrated and compassionate www.laurentianarchitecture.ca
clinical practice, education, research and care.
what’s new
Pugh + scarpa architects to receive 2010
aia architecture Firm award. all architects resign from city of Ottawa
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Board design review Panel.
of Directors voted for Pugh + Scarpa Architects to On December 7, 2009, all of the architects that
receive the 2010 AIA Architecture Firm Award. were members of the Downtown Ottawa Urban
Ê
Given annually, the award is the highest honour Design Review Panel resigned. The City was in-
the AIA bestows on an architecture firm and rec- formed by way of a letter to Councillor Peter
ognizes a practice that consistently has produced Hume, Chair of the Planning and Environment
Ê
distinguished architecture for at least 10 years. Committee. The Downtown Ottawa Urban Design
Founding partners Gwynne Pugh, AIA, and Law- Review Panel was established in March 2005 to
105532ÊDTÊLFÊSORT-CANÊARCHÊJANÊ2010.inddÊ
rence Scarpa, AIA, along with Angela Brooks, provide expert peer review of urban design ele-
AIA, who became a partner in 2001, are known ments of new developments in the downtown
for forging a broad, inclusive, experimental ap- core. More than 15 major development applica-
proach to socially and environmentally sensitive tions have been reviewed. The Design Review
urban planning and design. Previous recipients Panel was originally composed of seven archi-
include Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects, tects and three landscape architects. The resigna-
Leers Weinzapfel, Moore Ruble Yudell, Murphy/ tion of all of the architects leaves the Panel with
Jahn, and KieranTimberlake. only three members. Reasons cited for the resig-
LFÊSORTÊ09Ê09_01-PICKUP.tif
nation included long-overdue improvements to
cOMPetitiOns the design review process, the City’s continuing
inaction on the Ottawa By Design section of its
winners announced in competition for new Official Plan, and the City’s approach to the re-
northern Ontario school of architecture. development of Lansdowne Park. The architects,
The winners of a competition for a new school of in their letter of resignation, state that, “while we
architecture at Laurentian University were re- believe that it is no longer possible to support the
cently announced. The competition asked the status quo, we do remain committed to improv-
question of what a new school of architecture can ing the quality of urban design in the city. We
be within the unique context of Northern Ontar- hope the City will take a renewed interest and
877.837.3275 • landscapeforms.com
io, and asked entrants to question the role of commitment to urban design, but until we see
schools of architecture, defining physical, ab- substantial improvements in the approach to
stract and theoretical characteristics. It purpose- urban design on the part of the City, it is no lon-
circLe rePLY card 17
fully ignored setting strict design guidelines in ger in our interest to participate.”
permaconpro.ca
CirCle reply Card 18
ISSuE 32. 1
W INTER 2009/ 2010
AU RAIC Centre for Architecture receives
CCMPA support 2009-2010
The RAIC and Athabasca university (Au) recently announced the Cana- RAIC Board Members
dian Concrete Masonry Producers Association (CCMPA) has become
President
the first industry partner to support the new architecture program at Ranjit (Randy) K. Dhar, FRAIC
Au. The RAIC Centre of Architecture at Au will eventually replace
the RAIC Syllabus program. The CCMPA has agreed to a long term 1st Vice-President and
partnership with RAIC and Au. The terms of this partnership will be President-Elect
Stuart Howard, FRAIC
formally announced in early 2010.
2nd Vice-President and
Treasurer
Task Force appointed to David Craddock, MRAIC
• Claudio Brun del Re, FRAIC – Ontario NE Claude Hamelin Lalonde, FIRAC
(Quebec)
• Alain Fournier, FIRAC – Québec Paul E. Frank, FRAIC
• William Knorr, FRAIC – Atlantic (Atlantic)
Gerrie Doyle, MRAIC will participate on behalf of the OAA and Rick Chancellor of College of
Linley, FRAIC on behalf of the MAA. Alexander Rankin, FRAIC will Fellows
Alexander Rankin, FRAIC
act as RAIC Board Liaison.
RAIC launched its national fee guidelines in June 2009. The guidelines Council of Canadian University
Schools of Architecture
RAIC Syllabus Renewal are intended for use by both clients and architects. It includes updated (CCUSA)
FAQ online recommendations for percentage-based fees and is free to RAIC Eric Haldenby, FRAIC
members.
In an effort to communicate Director Representing Intern
ongoing efforts regarding the Architects
Syllabus Renewal, RAIC offers W. Steve Boulton, MRAIC
the answers to frequently asked Editorial Liaison
questions on its web site. RAIC strategic objectives Ralph Wiesbrock, FRAIC
Please see www.raic.org for a At a recent Board retreat RAIC reviewed its strategic plan and Executive Director
link off the home page. identified six areas as key issues for the 2010. Jon Hobbs, FRAIC
You do.
1978 Earth Day brings What was once a quiet evolution has
awareness to Earth’s
need for continual care. become a revolutionary force. Your desire
for sustainable design has helped redefine
the meaning of green. Since we began
making nora® rubber flooring over
50 years ago, we’ve evolved with you.
climate-controlled
Performing 66 Percent better than model national He was flown to Copenhagen to rescue the federal
energy guidelines suggest, a new state-of-the-art government’s dwindling hopes of escaping the
corPorate headquarters in downtown winniPeg is talks unscathed. More significantly, the energy-
setting new standards for commercial office buildings. rich province is also home to the Best Tall Build-
ing in America in 2009 awarded by the Council
on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH),
ProJect Manitoba Hydro Place, WinniPeg, Manitoba
based in Chicago.
KuWabara Payne McKenna bluMberg arcHitects, sMitH carter arcHitects
integrated design team
& engineers, transsolar KliMaengineering, Prairie arcHitects inc. Located in downtown Winnipeg, the 22-storey
teXt Peter saMPson headquarters for Manitoba Hydro was designed
Photos gerry KoPeloW and eduard Hueber by Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Archi-
tects in conjunction with Smith Carter Architects
With the Copenhagen Summit having come to a mood for their recent performance in this re- and Engineers of Winnipeg, and climate engin-
dismally weak resolution on global emissions gard. Amidst this weakness on ecological futures, eers Transsolar of Germany. Opened earlier this
targets, and with Canada’s even more appallingly the province is home to ex-premier-turned- year with its LEED Platinum target firmly in
vague and fidgety position on the issue of climate ambassador Gary Doer, known internationally sight, Manitoba Hydro Place is proving to be one
change, many Manitobans are in a celebratory for his strong track record on the environment. of the most efficient passive-energy office towers
Shoulder Seasons/
Summer Mode
air is drawn naturally in
through large operable
windows
Solar Chimney
Winter Garden 115-metre-high solar
six-storey-tall atria act chimney uses stack
as the building’s lungs, effect
drawing fresh air in and
preconditioning it before
it enters the workspace
Shoulder Seasons/
Summer Mode
draws used air up and
exhausts it out of the
building
Exposed Ceiling
eduard Hueber
Mass
Winter Mode uses radiant heating
air is drawn in through and cooling; warm air
outer mechanical units rises and is drawn into
and heated by geother- north atria via natural
mal field pressure differences
Geothermal System
Parkade
280 boreholes 125
limited to 200 spots to en-
metres deep draw
courage employees to take
excess heat or cold
eduard Hueber
public transit, and use
stored within the soil to
parking spaces in the city
condition the building
consulting experts commissioned for Manitoba architect, tells me that “this just might be one of toPa variety of cladding Material Was
Hydro Place, all but one firm was Canadian. the best ways to spend public money that I can used on tHe Project, ranging froM
The general well-being of architecture in this think of.” Manitoba Hydro Place is challenging loW-iron ultra-clear glass to tyndall
country stands to benefit from Manitoba Hydro’s the nature of conventional large building targets stone and a tyndall stone-insPired frit
commitment to building not the largest nor the in Canada. “It is long overdue,” Kuwabara says, aPPlied to a unitized curtain Wall. aboVe
in addition to iMProving tHe vieW for
tallest tower in the country, and not the slen- “that we raise our standards.” Many office WorKers, tHe green roof
derest nor the most formally outstanding. In- On track to achieve LEED Platinum, the project HelPs reduce solar Heat gain and Miti-
stead, a quiet and didactic working laboratory for marks what Kuwabara describes as “a critical gates storM Water runoff. below a series
passive and sustainable energy performance is moment for Canadian architecture. The era of the of tiMe-laPse PHotograPHs brilliantly
set in an urban environment and is open to the hermetically sealed box is over. And so is the way conveys tHe sPecial quality of ligHt
found only on tHe Prairies.
public. Bruce Kuwabara, the project’s design we deliver projects of this stature and complex-
gerry KoPeloW
Office lofts
Hanging
Green roof South grove
wood screens
Access
bridges
Water
features
bryan cHristie
lobby
Humidification or
dehumidification is pro-
vided by a water feature
in each atrium.
During the summer, horizon-
tal blinds deploy and protect A second set of fan coils Exterior glazing uses
the atrium from the harsh at each floor level fur- extremely clear low-iron-
summer heat and glare. ther heats and cools the content glass to allow
air as it is drawn into more light into the work-
the raised floor at space lofts.
Six-storey-tall communication each level.
Low-emissivity coatings
stair encourages physical help to reduce heat
activity and interdepartment penetration at the
communication. Large-span struc- Manually controlled The perimeter edge façade.
tural concrete ribs interior windows allow of the slab has been Where a double skin is
provide flexible occupants to individu- shaped to allow for
bryan cHristie
Air is preheated at the exterior not employed, façades
column-free office ally control airflow maximum daylight utilize high-efficiency
bench using glycol circulated lofts. and temperature at penetration into the
through the geothermal field. triple glazing.
their workstations. building.
atrium
not have imagined. It subverts the generic nature the decision to relocate 2,000 workers in the we did this to create a healthy infrastructure for
of the overdone glass box and podium by context- heart of our city will be right up there.” He an- our employees.”
ualizing it in a local, living, ecological response to ticipates the precedent will spark a decade of re- Further positive impact to the downtown ex-
place. vitalization. A host of cultural institutional land- tends to the type of leasing opportunities offered
One major factor of place is the urban context. marks currently under construction indicate that in the base building. These are intentionally lim-
Hydro’s mandate went beyond technological per- renewal in the city’s core is well underway. ited in an effort to stimulate the support of local
formance. The renewal of resources included so- Manitoba Hydro Place amalgamates 15 of the businesses and to encourage staff to experience
cial resources. The commitment to downtown corporation’s two- and three-storey suburban their city. Though space exists for a child-care
development was not second nature to Hydro; leaseholds. Prior to the new facility, 95 percent of facility, research determined that the nearby
word on the street is that it came at the insistence the employees drove to work. Hesitancy among YMCA’s child care program was under-enrolled
of Glen Murray, Winnipeg’s mayor from 1998 to employees to move to the downtown location was and would benefit from the arrival of a new
2004. Gouldsborough comments that when he countered with a careful Change Management as- demographic.
helped broker the deal to merge Winnipeg’s sessment conducted by Hydro to complement a The project was commissioned through an In-
hydroelectric utility company with the Province’s host of corporate incentives ranging from par- tegrated Design Process in which each team
Crown utility corporation, the proviso was that a ticipation in Winnipeg Transit’s EcoPass pro- member was interviewed, selected and con-
new head office be built downtown. Hydro’s gram. Six months after moving, Hydro cites that tracted directly by Hydro. Dudley Thompson,
1,800 employees were seen as an obvious and 50 percent of the relocated employees are leaving Principal of Prairie Architects, was retained as
much-needed stimulus to the downtown econ- their cars at home. As a result, Manitoba Hydro the Advocate Architect for the project. Kuwabara
omy. has been able to reduce its parking demand in the credits him with enabling a team of high-calibre
Stefano Grande, the Executive Director of downtown sector and has observed a five-fold in- experts to come together. As the first member of
Winnipeg’s Downtown Biz, comments that “a few crease in employee use of public transit com- the team, Thompson spearheaded the Integrated
decades from now, when we look back on what pared to the previous year. Gouldsborough adds, Design Process and worked closely with Hydro to
some of the turning points for downtown were, “energy reductions were important, but primarily establish LEED objectives. In the pre-design and
eduard Hueber
gerry KoPeloW
When it came to the selection of the Design any of them. There was something about Bruce’s trates tHe building’s classic Modernist
origins; tHe tHree-storey atriuM tHat
Architect for the project, a number of inter- ability to listen and his interest in people that constitutes tHe Main entrance also
national architects known for their success with convinced us that he would work with the team to acts as tHe building’s Hub and connec-
bioclimatic design were interviewed along with create an appropriate urban building for both tion to an outdoor Public Plaza; a vieW
KPMB. These included British architect Norman Hydro and Winnipeg.” doWn tHe central atriuM; an oPen stair
Foster, Stuttgart-based Behnisch Architekten, “The process depends entirely on respect,” terMinates tHe nortH-facing atriuM and
adds WarMtH WitH its douglas fir clad-
Germany’s Christoph Ingenhoven, and US-based says Kuwabara. It is only as good as the individ- ding; one of tHe Many attractive stairs
Gensler. “With that roster, I can’t say we came to uals who participate in it. If there is distrust or in tHe building, a gesture tHat encour-
Winnipeg expecting to win,” says Kuwabara. stubbornness at the table, he says, the process is ages eMPloyees to use tHeM instead of
Thompson recalls that “Bruce’s presentation was entirely compromised. Kuwabara cites his own elevators WHenever Possible.
gerry KoPeloW
eduard Hueber
eduard Hueber
graham ave.
porta
ge av
e.
contained spaces
8’0” demountable solid and glass partitions
enclosed spaces edmonton st.
8’0” demountable solid and glass partitions, with glass transoms to ceiling
atria
north/south multiple floor atriums, with communication stairs
core
elevators, services and storage
open work stations
50” tall panels
tyPical tower floor layout concePt 0 10M site Plan 0 30m
eduard Hueber
inexperience with IDP when he began the pro- developers building in a slow-growth city. “With
ject. “I guess because I had not gone through it, I the payback period for construction measured
had no preconceptions of it—it was an open- over 60 years instead of the more typical short-
minded event. I think many of us approached it term investment “scenario,” says Kuwabara, he
this way. It worked well on this project because it feels the commitment to such a long-range fore-
was so well organized.” cast reinforced the design team’s commitment to
Both Kuwabara and Thompson suggest that quality workspaces, systems durability, and the
without Thomas Auer of Transsolar, whose ex- overall urban integrity of the project. Gouldsbor-
pertise in passive bioclimatic architecture and ough claims that many of the project’s major de-
energy modelling spans two decades, Manitoba sign elements—the bright open floor spaces, high
Hydro Place could not have been what it is today. ceilings, operable windows, advanced work-
“Thomas brought with him a wealth of experi- stations, and the 100 percent fresh-air ventila-
ence from Europe that doesn’t yet exist here,” tion system—are designed to maximize employee
says Kuwabara. His ability to react quickly to de- productivity and comfort as well as minimize
sign ideas based on that experience was an im- energy consumption. These have untallied finan-
measurable asset to the team. “Thomas was in my cial advantages for any organization and are clear
office one day looking at some of the schemes objectives as we move into the second decade of
that we had on the go before a big presentation to this century. ca
Hydro,” says Kuwabara, “and he casually com-
eduard Hueber
mented that if we rotated one of our schemes 90 Peter Sampson is Principal of Peter Sampson Archi-
degrees, we could capitalize on the prevailing tecture Studio in Winnipeg and is an Adjunct Profes-
southerly winds and sun of Winnipeg.” Despite sor at the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Archi-
being from Germany, Auer’s intimate research tecture.
and modelling of weather patterns around the
city made him the resident expert on local cli- client Manitoba Hydro
integrated design team KuWabara Payne McKenna bluMberg
mate. “That was a beautiful moment in the pro- arcHitects (design arcHitect); sMitH carter arcHitects & engin-
eers (executive arcHitect); transsolar KliMaengineering (energy/
cess,” says Kuwabara, “everything just snapped cliMate engineers); Prairie arcHitects inc. (advocate arcHitect/
leed consultant)
into place. The urban design strategies that we structural HalcroW yolles, crosier Kilgour & Partners ltd.
mechanical/electrical aecoM
were wrestling with to limit shadows on Portage, landscaPe PHilliPs farevaag sMallenberg, HilderMan tHoMas
franK craM
the effort to strengthen pedestrian connectivity interiors KPMb arcHitects (base building and Public sPace), ibi
grouP, nuMber ten arcHitecture grouP, esP environMental
on the site combined with the towers being situ- sPace Planning (interiors, office/WorKsPace)
construction manager Pcl constructors canada inc.
ated so as to open the atrium to the south, all of a acoustical aercoustics
building enVeloPe brooK van dalen & associates
sudden everything was in place.” water features dan euser WaterarcHitecture
geothermal groundsolar energy tecHnologies, oMnicron
At $400 per square foot, Manitoba Hydro Place consulting grouP
quantity surVeyor HanscoMb
exceeds financially the objectives of many of local code & life safety leber rubes
traffic/access/Parking nd lea engineers & Planners
lighting Pivotal ligHting design
microclimate rWdi inc.
tHe soutH façade of tHe
left, toP to bottom Vertical transPortation soberMan engineering
building, overlooKing tHe neW Public geotechnical engineer/hydrogeologist uMa engineer-
ing
Plaza; tHe 115-Metre-HigH solar cHiMney municiPal & site serVices WardroP engineering
area 695,742 ft2
uses tHe stacK effect to HelP ventilate budget $278 M (Project cost)
tHe toWer. comPletion sePteMber 2009
a series of new buildings introduces an cades, there have been very few significant commissions designed by “out-
expressive architectural language that is siders.” At the same time it is readily apparent that Vancouver would benefit
relatively unfamiliar to the vancouver from more diversity in its architecture. An increased number of architects
context. from elsewhere operating in the city could help address this shortcoming.
Architecture and urbanism in Vancouver are famed for their livability.
This livability is most often described in terms of podium towers, ample
proJect Langara CoLLege Library, Langara Student union and
green space, and generous civic programming, and is associated with the
Langara CLaSSroom buiLding C, VanCouVer, britiSh CoLumbia
architects teepLe arChiteCtS inC. and aSSoCiate arChiteCtS ibi/hb
newer residential condominium districts of the central city. One might ex-
arChiteCtS tend this list to include ecological and environmental sensitivity in light of
text matthew SouLeS recent projects such as the new convention centre and the South East False
photos Shai giL Creek neighbourhood. What is less commonly discussed are the ways in
which the ethos of livability impacts buildings and projects throughout the
One of the most obvious things to say about Stephen Teeple’s new work at city and far beyond the residential zones of the central city. At its core, liva-
Vancouver’s Langara College is that it’s black. Literally. The new library’s bility prefaces the middle ground; for many good reasons it is anti-extrem-
exterior presents a hulking black concrete mass, the renovated classroom ism. The podium tower itself is literally a hybrid middle that combines the
building is refaced in black metal panels, and the student centre is clad with high density of the point tower with the more “human” scale of the row-
black cementitious board. Not to ascribe too much meaning to a building’s house. A collateral result of pursuing this comfortable middle is a latent
colour, but in this case it’s difficult to resist. Every sizeable city has a dis- distrust of “form” or “shape”—the implication being that an overly shapely
tinct architectural culture which inflects all aspects of design—including co- building must somehow disregard more important considerations related to
lour. Douglas Coupland’s idiosyncratic but insightful guide to Vancouver, livability and environmental performance. Too much form is superficial,
City of Glass, smartly riffs on the city’s colour palette: a range of greens, a the argument goes. This is, of course, an overly simplistic and reductive po-
few blues, and grey—naturally—for the sky. But there’s no mention of black sition. Nevertheless it silently persists. Perhaps the most important contri-
and I can’t think of any recent building in Vancouver in which the colour bution that Teeple Architects offer at Langara is a useful reminder that for-
has figured so prominently. That Teeple has operated outside of the perva- malism can be smart and meaningful—that is, how ambitious shapeliness
sive Vancouver palette is not insignificant and is the signifying tip of a larg- and a resulting iconicism can be the product of polyvalent criteria ranging
er architectural agenda he has flown from Toronto to Vancouver. from environmental performance to social interactivity.
Like many other cities, Vancouver’s architectural culture is relatively in- Langara College opened in 1965 and has been operating at its current
sular and, in more ways than one, it’s hard to imagine the new work at Lan- campus on 49th Avenue in south Vancouver since 1970. With 23,000 stu-
gara being produced by a local. In Metro Vancouver over the preceding de- dents, it is one of Metro Vancouver’s major post-secondary institutions and
garden
12 1(below)
2
12
10 10
4
4 4
4
12 3
9 12 12
6 6
1 1 1
5 5 7
4 2
8
4
11
3 3
0 10M
library and student union building—first floor
1 CirCuLation Spine 7 Café
2 Lobby 8 preSentation room
3 main Library SpaCe 9 meeting room
4 CLaSSroom 10 Study Lounge
5 adminiStration 11 CoVered waLk
6 Computer Lab 12 open to beLow
3
1
4
6
www.dow.com/2010
®
™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow
TM
Trademark © Copyright 2006 – 2008, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. All Rights Reserved.
nologies to design And build An import wAshington, dc during the 2009 solAr decAthlon; the Alis touch screen is embedded
Ant prototype for sustAinAble living. into the continuous coriAn wAll surfAce in the Kitchen, which glows with vAriAble
intensity As energy systems And wAter usAge of the home Are optimized; south
fAçAde of north house At dusK.
teXt KAthy veliKov And geoffrey thün
Photos teAm north
Global transformation with respect to technol- industry investment in green building research is Canadian team of students and faculty from the
ogy, culture and economy within the past two still appallingly low, given the urgency in advan- University of Waterloo, Simon Fraser University
decades has brought about a serious internal re- cing innovations in green building technology, and Ryerson University, to design and complete
consideration of the role of architecture. The manufacturing processes and performance the North House prototype for the 2009 com-
modes in which architects operate within the evaluation. A recent report by the United States petition. The North House prototype offers
world, the tools and techniques best suited to en- Green Building Council (USGBC) identified that specific proof of a concept model of a broader set
gage these new conditions, and the nature of ap- in 2005, research in the US related to high-per- of goals that formed the basis for RVTR’s Latitude
propriate pedagogic tools and approaches that formance green building practices and technolo- Housing System, designed for the 2008 Living
will cultivate the next generation of professionals gies amounted to only 0.2% of all federally fund- Steel Sustainable Housing Competition, and
will help produce responsive and innovative ed research and only 0.02% of the estimated expands on RVTR partners Velikov and Thün’s
architectural projects that will help improve the value of annual US building construction. The S.W.A.M.P. House which won a 2005 Canadian
ways in which we engage and address contem- condition is laden with potential, as a reliable Architect Award of Excellence. The prototype
porary issues. Fundamental to this endeavour is and continually developing knowledge, practice combines module and panel methods of pre-
the mobilization of the potential power of new and research base is essential to the advancement fabrication, and aims to develop and demonstrate
partnerships between academic/practice/indus- of building and urban design practice within the a whole-building strategy for solar-powered
try interests as an opportunity for complex col- current mandate for buildings to reduce energy residential design that approaches questions of
laborations and the ability to engage within a consumption and to increase renewable power how to design buildings that are resilient and
broader set of disciplinary communities. These generation associated with sustainable agendas. adaptive to climate extremes while maintaining
forms of successful partnerships will certainly Potentials for researcher/practitioners in archi- strong connections to their surrounding land-
test new limits for design innovation while serv- tecture are beginning to emerge. scape, and how to develop new technologies,
ing as a lever for advanced research funding op- One scenario positioned to lever such out- alternative energy systems and pre-fabricated
portunities. comes is the US Department of Energy’s Solar customizable components optimized for high-
Only recently has architecture begun to de- Decathlon, where international academia/indus- performance net-energy-producing architecture.
velop productive industry/academia design re- try teams construct, showcase and enter into The prototype serves to test system components
search relationships such as those that have been competition fully solar-powered homes. The that can be applied to a range of residential typ-
common in the fields of technology, engineering authors’ design research-based practice RVTR, ologies. Following its participation in the 2009
and medicine. However, current government and initiated and led Team North, a multidisciplinary competition, North House will become a living
tiles for
Miles
Some highlightS are preSented from CerSaie
2009, the international eXhiBition of
CeramiC tile and Bathroom fUrniShingS
held annUally in Bologna, italy.
C o m e v i s i t u s a t S U R FA C E S
CirCle reply Card 24
the Films of John lennon and Jack diamond lecture sides, this celebrated group of ex- the borders of net zero buildings by
yoko ono 1970-1972 February 3, 2010 As part of Carleton quisitely rendered compositions creating the Alstonvale Net Zero
January 28, 2010 As part of the Inter- University’s Forum Lecture Series, represents stunning achievements House, one of the winning projects
mission: Films from a Heroic Future Jack Diamond of Diamond & in both art and science. With more in Canada Mortgage and Housing
series at the Canadian Centre for Schmitt Architects in Toronto lec- than 240 individual drawings and Corporation’s EQuilibrium Sus-
Architecture in Montreal, at 7:00pm tures at 6:00pm at the National Gal- 13,000 words written in Leonardo’s tainable Housing Demonstration
UbuWeb founder Kenneth Gold- lery in Ottawa. Admission is free unique mirror-image script, Ana- Initiative.
smith presents four rarely seen and open to the general public. tomical Manuscript A is a treatise on www.daniels.utoronto.ca
films by and about John Lennon and architecture@carleton.ca the human body created centuries
Yoko Ono. ahead of its time. werner Sobek lecture
www.cca.qc.ca/intermission Kelly Shannon lecture www.vanartgallery.bc.ca February 15, 2010 Werner Sobek of
February 4, 2010 Kelly Shannon, Werner Sobek Engineering & De-
Origamic Architecture Professor of Architecture, Catholic Francine houben lecture sign in Stuttgart delivers the Steel
Until February 25, 2010 This exhibi- University of Leuven in Belgium, February 11, 2010 Francine Houben Structures Education Foundation
tion at the Japan Foundation in will lecture at 6:30pm in Room of Mecanoo Architecten in Delft, Lecture at 6:00pm in Room G10 of
Toronto involves the three-dimen- ARC202 of the Ryerson Architecture Netherlands, will lecture at 6:30pm the Macdonald-Harrington Building
sional reproduction of architecture, Building in Toronto. in Room ARC202 of the Ryerson at McGill University in Montreal.
geometric patterns and everyday Architecture Building in Toronto.
objects through cut and folded Leonardo da Vinci: The Mech- naSa archive 1966-1972
paper. Varieties of existing build- anics of Man net Zero energy lifestyle in February 18, 2010 As part of the Inter-
ings of the world, from historical to February 6-May 2, 2010 For the first canada mission: Films from a Heroic Future
contemporary, are included in this time in history, the anatomical February 11, 2010 As part of the series at the Canadian Centre for
show. All models are designed by drawings of Leonardo da Vinci’s Building Ecology, Science and Architecture in Montreal, Christo-
the late Masahiro Chatani (1934- Anatomical Manuscript A will be on Technology Lecture Series at the pher Riley, co-curator of the NASA
2008) singlehandedly. Half of the view in their entirety in this exhibi- John H. Daniels Faculty of Archi- material presented in Intermission,
exhibited models are freshly con- tion at the Vancouver Art Gallery. tecture, Landscape and Design at speaks at 7:00pm about the origins
structed in Toronto by local Cana- Comprised of a series of 18 sheets the University of Toronto, Sevag of the NASA film archive and its
dian folders. created during the winter of 1510, Pogharian delivers this lecture from preservation, and explains the tech-
www.jftor.org 16 of which have drawings on both 6:00-8:30pm. Pogharian is pushing nical demands of filming in space
Concerns around environmental health and compliance with international standards like LEED
have construction professionals looking for better ways to build green. Concrete masonry is
a good start. Industry research shows that compared with cast-in-place concrete, masonry
walls use 37% less cement, 58% less water, and 47% less material overall. They’re also 70%
less thermally conductive and they emit 67% less carbon dioxide. Most concrete masonry is
Gill Sans
produced locally, using recycled or supplemented cementing materials (SCMs). And because
it often requires no coatings or finishes, masonry reduces risks associated with volatile organic
compounds (VOCs). All of which help you earn LEED credits like:
EA #1 – Optimize Energy Performance
MR #1 – Building Reuse
MR #2 – Construction Waste Management
MR #4 – Recycled Content
MR #5 – Local/Regional Materials
MR #8 – Durable Building
Learn more. Contact the Canadian Concrete
Masonry Producers Association.
www.ccmpa.ca 1-888-495-7497
Quadrangle archiTecTs
an archiTecT’s desire To improve The sus- elevated park had just been completed and
TainabiliTy facTor and general well-being Two renderings of The
aBOVe, LeFt tO right
opened to the public—the first section of Man- green ribbon—a speculaTive proposal To
of his ciTy is noTed.
hattan’s High Line. The High Line was built in Transform ToronTo’s gardiner express-
the 1930s as part of a public-private infrastruc- way inTo an urban park.
text ian chodikoff ture project and remained operational until 1980.
Rising nearly 10 metres above grade, it removed pathways and the fragility of the new plantings,
As a society, we tend to praise the entrepreneurial freight trains from street level, thereby segregat- pets are not allowed either. Fittingly, a cartoon
spirit of those who demonstrate acumen in gener- ing two modes of transportation in the city. By that appeared in The New Yorker last September
ating new ideas, persevering with them until com- 1999, a community-based non-profit group depicted a number of dogs leashed to steel col-
pletion. There may be even greater praise for known as Friends of the High Line was formed to umns amidst garbage cans in the dark and dirty
those who can take an idea, allow it to gather mo- preserve and maintain the disused rail lines as an streets below, while their more fortunate owners
mentum, and connect it with the zeitgeist of the elevated public park. It wasn’t until 2001 when enjoyed ice cream cones, drank Starbucks coffee,
day. Needless to say, turning ideas into reality the visually arresting photographs of the High and otherwise experienced the city from a level of
takes relentless hard work and politicking to en- Line taken by Joel Sternfeld brought the neglect- blissful detachment high above the city.
sure that all the proverbial ducks are lined up in a ed infrastructure into the public imagination. Undaunted by such criticism and inspired by
row. A recent example of such an entrepreneurial Sternfeld’s images of wild grasses growing on top the success of the High Line, Klein is convinced
and speculative endeavour is the “Green Ribbon.” of the old railway allowed politicians and citizens that Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway can be simi-
Presented by architect Les Klein last June at an alike to appreciate the poetry and potential of larly transformed. He sees the potential for the
ideaCity conference, Klein’s proposal involves such a place. Green Ribbon as a seven-kilometre-long urban
transforming a section of Toronto’s Gardiner The High Line needed to be transformed into a park complete with cycling and pedestrian path-
Expressway that runs along the edge of Lake On- magical and economically viable place. So, when ways, plantings, and both wind turbines and
tario and across the city’s downtown core into an James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofi- photovoltaic panels to generate enough electricity
elevated swathe of green space for bicycles and dio + Renfro won the commission to transform to power the lighting and electrical systems
pedestrians instead of cars. Spurred on by his the abandoned railway into an elevated urban needed to sustain the park. He estimates that the
well-received public presentation and a spate of park in 2004, the two firms needed to reformu- park could be built for about half of the $1.2 to 1.8
media attention thereafter, he has been busy late the vision for the 2.4-kilometre-long piece billion needed to take down the expressway alto-
pitching the idea ever since, hoping to eventually of infrastructure. Its success has been immediate gether. Some engineering and costing reports
see the Green Ribbon built. What makes his pro- and its transformation has proven to be an awe- have been prepared to add legitimacy to Klein’s
posal so interesting to so many people is the fact inspiring addition to the city, altering visitors’ crusade, and he has been seeking out allies from
that it incorporates several feel-good principles of perspectives of the surrounding world. During its both public and private sectors for additional
sustainable design ranging from reducing the first six months in operation, the High Line has support. If anything, it has given his firm, which
heat-island effect and offsetting carbon dioxide attracted nearly 2 million visitors. was founded in 1986, a resurgent voice to speak
emissions, to generating renewable forms of elec- Nevertheless, the High Line is not without about sustainable design issues on an urban
tricity and mitigating the effects of the automobile criticism. There are numerous rules that visitors level, providing inspiration for other architects
in the city. must obey, such as not walking in certain areas, like him to initiate new design opportunities in
When Klein, principal of Quadrangle Archi- sitting on railings or climbing on any part of the the public realm. ca
tects, first presented the Green Ribbon, another elevated structure. Due to the limited area of the
Company ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
YOUR BUSINESS OCCUPATION (check one only) For FREE INFORMATION, find the Reader Service # under each ad(s)
o Registered Architect o Professional Engineers and then circle the corresponding number(s) shown here.
o Interior Designer o Student of Architecture/Design 1 10 19 28 37 46 55 64 73 82 91
2 11 20 29 38 47 56 65 74 83 92
o Specification Writer o Landscape Architect
3 12 21 30 39 48 57 66 75 84 93
o Developer/Builder o Architectural Technologist 4 13 22 31 40 49 58 67 76 85 94
o Graduate/Intern/Arch/Arch Asst 5 14 23 32 41 50 59 68 77 86 95
6 15 24 33 42 51 60 69 78 87 96
o Other (please specify) _________________________________ 7 16 25 34 43 52 61 70 79 88 97
______________________________________________ 8 17 26 35 44 53 62 71 80 89 98
9 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90 99
______________________________________________
o Send me 1 year of Canadian Architect magazine — 12 issues for only $52.95 (+GST/HST/QST)
FOR FAST SERVICE, For United States $101.95 (US funds) For International $120.00 (US funds) CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE:
CDA: 1-800-268-7742 ext. 3539
FAX THIS CARD TO o Send me 2 years of Canadian Architect magazine — 24 issues for only $83.95 (+GST/HST/QST) USA: 1-800-387-0273 ext. 3539
(416) 510-6875 METHOD OF PAYMENT
Email: mchana@bizinfogroup.ca
o Cheque (payable to Canadian Architect) o VISA o MASTERCARD o AMERICAN EXPRESS URL: www.canadianarchitect.com
CARD# _________________________________________________________________
EXPIRY DATE ______________________________________________________________
SIGNATURE (required) __________________________________DATE ___________________
2010 L K J I H G F E D C B A