Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/124234
s renderings courtesy Cannon Design Architecture Inc. s g e e, ps, nt r s Fortius Athlete Development Centre by Jerry Eberts thletes, both professional and amateur, should feel better knowing that the Fortius Athlete Development Centre has opened in Burnaby, B.C. Situated in the Central Valley Burnaby Sports Complex, the centre also houses the Fortius Institute, an integrated team of sport and exercise medicine leaders from a wide crosssection of specialized fields. The institute includes a wide range of diagnostic and physiotherapeutic facilities, from imaging technology to tubs, pools, and steam and sauna rooms for use by patients and private club members. There's even space for sports association offices and child-minding services. Greg Kensick was construction administration leader for the project. As an architect and senior associate with A Fortius Athlete Development Centre p88-93Goodes_Fortius.indd 91 Vancouver's Cannon Design, he oversaw all aspects of the construction phase of this large undertaking, from design development and management of construction services, to encouragement and establishment of a team approach. "Cannon Design has a highly specialized professional sport practice team," says Kensick. "That team has delivered many varied community and professional sport projects all over the world, including the Richmond Olympic Oval. We are also currently the architects for three venues at the upcoming Pan Am Games in the Toronto-Hamilton area, including what will become the new CFL stadium for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. "Our journey with Fortius included wide-ranging consultations with leaders in the field, including athletes and coaches, specialized sport medical practitioners, the community and the client," says Kensick. "The team had a dream to bring together all aspects of sport, medicine, research, training, community and healthy living into a new model, never previously conceived or achieved, to be built on the project's guiding principles of integration, collaboration and innovation." The Fortius Sport & Health project began in 2007, with construction starting in May 2008. However, the worldwide economic slowdown put the brakes on the funding and after some initial site services and concrete pouring, the project sat idle for about three years. As the economy regained its footing, Fortius decided in early 2011 to give Cannon the go-ahead for another run at this project. Construction started again in August 2011 and the project was completed in March 2013. This unusual, but unfortunately not unique, start-stoprestart economic circumstance gave Fortius an opportunity to revisit all aspects of the centre. After a false start, the project was made more philanthropic and the crisis helped to strengthen the resolve of those involved, increasing the desire to make this an outstanding centre for sport medicine. As well as the institute at ground level, there is a two-storey strength and conditioning department and regulation National Basketball Association (NBA) sized gymnasium. The top three floors consist of 60 suites for athlete and client accommodation. In fact, with food services and other retail and sport-related tenants, the building will be a one-stopshop for clients needing significant physical reconstituting. However, a majority of people using the facility will not be injured; it offers much to a wide range of athletes, from the professional to the weekend warrior. Kensick describes the exterior of the building as "clean, modern, sophisticated and dynamic." He adds, "Volumes have been carefully molded and sculpted by framing and separating facade elements with a controlled palette of accentuating colours. A dynamic, free-flowing entry canopy on bent two-storey 'tree'-like columns provide support for an overhead cedar soffit 'cloud' which flows from the exterior to the interior entry lobby. This captures the spirit of dynamic athletic motion and provides a statement to the april 2013 /91 13-04-05 2:28 PM