Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1385297
J U N E 2 0 2 1 | 75 Plaza Renewal – SFU P H OTO G R A P H Y BY U P P ER L EF T P H OTO G R A P H Y/CO U RT E SY P U B L I C: A RC H I T EC T U R E + CO M M U N I C AT I O N PLAZA RENEWAL – SFU by LAURIE JONES W hen it came time to do a massive renovation on the iconic Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Metro Vancouver – designed in 1964 by Arthur Erickson and Geoffrey Massey – many aspects of the institution had to be carefully con- sidered when making changes. The renewal project began in 2016 and according to George Venini, senior project manager at SFU, it was essentially a roof replacement. "We replaced 250,000 square feet of mem- brane below the Convocation Mall of SFU's Burnaby campus, which is over top of occupied space that includes classrooms, lecture theatres, and parkades," he explains. "The cam- pus was completed in 1965 and for years, whenever there was a leak, the area was just patched incrementally." Finally, it was decided that the entire membrane had to be replaced. "Since SFU is located at the top of Burnaby Mountain, a lot deterio- ration occurred due to freeze-thaw episodes where water gets into some- thing, freezes, expands, then breaks. For the renovation, we specified a spe- cial concrete to help mitigate this issue because in winter months, there's a lot of snow." Venini says to design and construct the two phases has taken approxi- mately five years. "It's a large and extensive project and it means that we refinished most of the major outdoor social space for the university." Within the renovation, the team at Public: Architecture + Communication worked to redo the walking surfaces that were over 50 years old and leak- ing everywhere. "SFU was designed and built in 18 months so there were issues right from the start, and build- ing technology was not as advanced as it is today," says John Wall, prin- cipal architect. "Our job was to take all the finished surfaces down to the structure and waterproof it with today's technology." One of the mandates was to get rid of ponding because after a big rain event, the campus would be full of huge pud- dles and ice in the winter time, which made it unsafe. "We also made special efforts to beautify the campus by cov- ering unsightly piping, adding new lighting and installing cedar soffits. We added custom site furnishings and purchased furniture such as tables and benches for people to gather and social- ize. Informal learning is a big part of universities outside of the classroom, so it was important to create spaces to accommodate that, especially in the spring and fall when the weather is good," explains Wall. The Convocation Mall, or convo- mall as it is known, is used for events such as rush week and other student- led activities. "It's set up with wiring and A / V connections to accommodate performances including bands, pre- sentations, recruitment week, guest speakers, and convocation itself. It's a very well used space." says Wall. With all of the changes and updates, the team wanted to ensure that everything was done without taking away from the original Erickson/Massey design. Another unique addition is found on the plaza levels leading from the Transportation Centre entry to the Academic Quadrangle (AQ ). "As you move up the stairs, the granite colours change from dark where you enter, blending to white at the top of the hill. The idea is as students head up the hill to the academic heart of the university, they are moving towards enlightenment." says Wall. Bryce Lucas, project manager at Ledcor Group of Companies says for all the paving restoration, they installed a drainable mortar product from Germany called Romex. "The water drains through the grout at the surface then into the Romex system, which is on average two inches thick," he explains. "Then it disburses to the sub- surface and towards nearby drains." He notes the biggest change the team worked on was the usable space on top of the Transportation Centre. "It was primarily a walk-through prior to construction. We added a seating area and raised the whole section up two to three feet to allow for accessibil- ity ramps. Then we added glass guard rails, handrails, and a 1,200 square- foot steel canopy." Additionally, in the north plaza of Freedom Square, a 22-foot white con- crete table with two white concrete benches was installed, and a 90-foot stainless steel and timber bench finishes off the new student gathering space. A LOCATION 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, B.C. OWNER /DEVELOPER Simon Fraser University ARCHITECT PUBLIC: Architecture + Communication GENER AL CONTR ACTOR Ledcor Group of Companies STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT Fast + Epp MECHANICAL CONSULTANT AME Consulting Group ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Applied Engineering Solutions Ltd. (AES) L ANDSCAPE ARCHITECT ETA Landscape Architecture TOTAL SIZE 250,000 square feet TOTAL COST $55 million