Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/137453
he University of Lethbridge in Alberta prides itself on its convenient, on-campus accommodation that provides students with the best possible environment for academic success and personal development. The latest project at the university will further improve the experience of its students with a new $30-million residence development at Aperture Park. The project will increase the amount of beds available for returning students on campus from 300 to 559. The project, entitled Aperture Park Phase III, is set for completion in September 2013. Meeting this deadline in time for the fall semester is one of the challenges that the architects are working to overcome. "Our goal is to create a premier residential development, but at the same time contain costs within the budget," says Irwin Olfert, an architect with Dialog. "This resulted in multiple designs with respect to the building envelope," says Olfert. "Costing of the various design options were done before designs were finalized. Some of the design options were explored after tendering, which created challenges for obtaining true value for design changes made." The design of the student residence includes two buildings that are connected at the ground floor. The development will be more urban in form and the resultant "L-shaped" building establishes the beginning of a quadrangle that will ultimately be complimented with a second "L" to complete the space. The floor plan of the new residence is derived from the design of the individual student room. The design is both functional and comfortable with rooms that are grouped typically in fours to create a socially-supportive living environment. Some rooms are studios for students wishing more privacy and to have rooms that accommodate the summer "hotel" function during conferences. Several accessible suites have also been provided that have two bedrooms, one potentially occupied by a caregiver, grouped around a common space. The RFP went out in December 2010 and Dialog started AWD Project work at 1-16v. gs 6/3/08 3:22 PMconstruction on the Filler the beginning of 2011, with Page 1 project starting in late January 2012 and completion expected in August 2013. The building has been developed as a four-storey block facing Aperture Loop and a five-storey block facing Aperture Lane. The common areas are located on the ground floor adjacent to Aperture Loop to reinforce the streetscape and create a more dynamic edge along this student services street. Principal entrances to each block are located at the centrepoint of each of the two buildings, providing access to a single elevator and student lounge. Natural light will flood into the circulation spaces on each floor and enhance the internal quality of each floor. Stairwells are intentionally located at the end of each block, fully glazed and visible to, and from, the exterior. The main floor will feature the primary communal spaces that will include an exercise facility, mail area, games room, laundry rooms and floor lounges, as well as exterior amenity space. Other spaces include a boardroom and project room, which may be used for meetings or other collaborative functions such as group project work or town hall events. The building will be served with wireless and sufficient electrical power. "The exterior has great esthetic appeal, and the interior is extremely functional," Olfert explains. The architectural strategy for the student residence is to introduce interest into the facades through AWD Project Filler 1/16 v. gs courtesy dialog T Aperture Park Phase III – University of Lethbridge by William Mbaho undulations in plan and variations in exterior finishes. "There is good use of materials and colours that enhance the modern esthetic of the building while creating a comfortable residential quality," says Heather Glendenning, Dialog industrial designer. Materials proposed include a local brick in a colour consistent with the prairie setting and complimentary to the original concrete buildings of the university. "There is an articulation of building form into subtle masses defining future multifunctional courtyard for students and the community," says fellow Dialog architect Michael Cheung. "The effective team environment during design and construction between Dialog, SODCL and the U of L is something we all take pride in," says Cheung. "In addition, we have achieved cost containment to date, while creating an effective and sustainable building envelope, with the support of Building Envelope Engineering Inc." Stuart Olson Dominion Construction Ltd. was hired as construction managers on the project and started working with the design team and owner group in 2011. "From a construction standpoint, one of the most challenging aspects of the project is the Lethbridge weather, in particular the wind," says Rob Edgar, project manager for Stuart Olson Dominion. "In order to facilitate the construction of the concrete structure we installed two separate tower cranes. With the frequent high winds in Lethbridge we had a challenge trying to fly heavy material and equipment with each crane. We tracked and forecasted wind speeds as best we could and operated cranes early and late in the day once winds slowed down," says Edgar. Edgar adds that Stuart Olson Dominion Construction Ltd. was proud of how the entire design team was able to work as a group in the preconstruction phase of the project. "We were able to design and tender the project sequentially, which got construction started earlier. It is not easy to design and then build a project of this size, and to do it fast-tracked is even more challenging. It takes teamwork," says Edgar. n LOCATION University of Lethbridge, Aperture Park, Lethbridge, Alberta OWNER/DEVELOPER University of Lethbridge ARCHITECT/STRUCTURAL/ MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL CONSULTANTS Dialog CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Stuart Olson Dominion Construction Ltd. LANDSCAPE CONSULTANT Lombard North Group TOTAL AREA 124,743 square feet TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST $30 million Do you have a project of interest to our readers? If you would like your project to be considered for a future issue of Award, please email: Dan Chapman, Publisher dchapman@canadawide.com Aperture Park Phase III - University of Lethbridge june 2013 /61 13-05-09 10:03 AM p60-61Aperture.indd 61 13-05-30 2:26 PM