Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1320139
D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 | 33 Canoe Landing Campus P H OTO G R A P H Y BY M I C H A EL M U R A Z /CO U RT E SY Z A S A RC H I T EC T S + I N T ER I O R S CANOE LANDING CAMPUS by ROBIN BRUNET T he challenge with new high- rise neighbourhoods such as Toronto's CityPlace is that establishing public spaces and easily accessed schooling for the residents is a major challenge. But the Canoe Landing Campus has achieved exactly that, in a way that provides breadth and a unique architectural expression in an area of tightly spaced condo towers. The 160,000-square-foot Canoe Landing Campus is comprised of a community centre that, seen from above and thanks to a series of sloping green roofs, appears to be an exten- sion of an existing park (with the roofs containing a basketball court, jog- ging track, solar panels, and urban gardens). A childcare centre, fitness facility, indoor play areas, and a com- munity kitchen are also components of the campus, as are two schools (one public, the other Catholic). In addition to the green roofs, upgraded building envelopes, high- efficiency condensing boilers, and LED lighting throughout, the facili- ties contribute to fulfilling the Toronto Green Standard Tier 1, which is 30.3 percent higher than the Ontario Building Code. Peter Duckworth-Pilkington, prin- cipal, ZAS Architects + Interiors, says, "Design work on the project began in 2014, and so much planning had already taken place regarding CityPlace that we had a clear idea of what needed to be accomplished. "Purely in terms of an overall architectural esthetic, we layered ele- ments, textures, and details on top of each other to give the horizontally- oriented structures of the campus visual appeal." Development of the Canoe Landing Campus, which sits on rail- way lands, was very much informed by CityPlace's evolution. The proj- ect dates back to 1994, when the City of Toronto entered into agreements with Canadian National Railways, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), and the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) to collect levies to fund the design and construction of community and childcare facilities, plus an elementary school for each school board. The City assumed man- agement of the lands in 2012. Tom Schloessin, design and proj- ect manager at the TDSB, says, "Everything evolved simultaneously. The towers were built and the resi- dents moved in while we were trying to determine what form the commu- nity centre and schools would take. Initially they were planned as condo podium elements, but as CityPlace evolved, an opportunity emerged for a less dense and less high solution." Unlike many school projects, the Jean Lumb Public School and Bishop Macdonell Catholic Elementary School were incorporated under one roof and are "fully intertwined," according to Schloessin, with a shared open library and gyms (located in one wing) and internal circulation. Deborah Friesen, superintendent, capital development, asset management and renewal at the TCDSB, says, "The schools were developed according to 21st-cen- tury learning practices, with lots of flex areas and adaptability such as enlarged corridor areas where student groups can work." ZAS oriented the campus buildings in a "C" shape to better absorb the solar rays that help power the facilities and allow for more parking space. "A north- south building split with a bridge connector also maintained the east- west view corridors," Schloessin says. Also, a four-storey atrium was created as a gathering spot for the students. LOCATION 20 Brunel Court/45 Fort York Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario OWNER City of Toronto PROJECT MANAGER Colliers Project Leader ARCHITECT ZAS Architects + Interiors GENER AL CONTR ACTORS Buttcon Limited / The Atlas Corporation STRUCTUR AL /MECHANICAL / ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT WSP AUDIO-VISUAL CONSULTANT Novita Techne L ANDSCAPE ARCHITECT The Planning Partnership TOTAL SIZE 160,000 square feet (community centre and schools) TOTAL COST $65 million