Award

J U N E 2 0 2 2 | 79 FitzGerald Building – University of Toronto R EN D ER I N GS CO U RT E S Y U N I V ER S I T Y O F TO RO N TO FITZGERALD BUILDING – UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO by NATALIE BRUCKNER T he University of Toronto is well-known for making bold moves when it comes to archi- tecture: whether that's its goal to be climate positive by 2050 or set- ting a new precedence when it comes to the adaptive re-use of existing buildings – as is the case with the Fitzgerald Building renovation. Originally constructed back in 1927, the Georgian Revival-style Fitzgerald Building is designated under Part IV of the Heritage Act, and as such, required a team of experts to take on the task to not only respect and preserve the history of the building, but also transform the outdated laboratory/research facil- ity into an inviting, high-performance office environment to be used pri- marily for the University's Central Administration functions (HR, finance, communications). The team included the University of Toronto, RDH Architects Inc. (RDHA), Office of Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), and a team of specialists includ- ing Buttcon Limited and others. As the exterior envelope of the five-storey-plus-basement build- ing is protected under an existing Heritage Easement Agreement, it was essential that the masonry and brickwork be restored and conserved, while also enhancing the energy performance through new energy- efficient windows and enhanced envelope. The original slate roof was also retrofitted with new slate tiles to match the existing roof. "The windows weren't original, so we replaced them all with triple glazed units," explains Bob Goyeche at RDHA. "Working with ER A Architects and Building Science we were able to add insulation on the interior side of the masonry, as well as the roof." Donny Messina, project manager at Buttcon Limited who mobilized onsite in October 2020, adds that the cop- per on the building's exterior has also been replaced. "While the exterior has been given new life, it is upon heading inside the building that you notice a mass trans- formation," says Sean O'Molloy, senior project manager, project manage- ment, University of Toronto. "Given the previous use of the building as a research facility predominantly filled with labs and private offices, the amount of interior demolition that was required was huge. The inte- rior of the building is now largely unrecognizable in its openness and transparency, while the exterior has been carefully restored and looks as good if not better than it did in 1927." The first thing you notice is the accessibility aspect. As with any build- ing of this age, accessibility wasn't front of mind, as Goyeche explains: "There's a plinth eight feet above ground level to the main floor, but what's unique about this building is that even though its address is on College St. on the south, it faces west, where a small street used to be. So, the main entrance is not actually on a street. To provide accessibility, the LOCATION 150 College Street, Toronto, Ontario OWNER /DEVELOPER University of Toronto ARCHITECTS RDH Architects Inc. / Office of Metropolitan Architecture (OMA New York) HERITAGE ARCHITECT ERA GENER AL CONTR ACTOR Buttcon Limited STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT Entuitive MECHANICAL /ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Smith + Andersen L ANDSCAPE ARCHITECT NAK Design Strategies TOTAL COST $62 million university made the lower level an entry from College Street. However, Jason Long at OMA and his team turned that into another new main entrance and as you enter in, there is a cut out section of the floor above to create an impressive atrium." "This atrium connects the historic entry that's now on the second level with a new entry on College St. that is on the first level, so no matter where you enter it's clear that this enlarged foyer space connects to the active parts of the building," explains Long. In addition to creating the inte- rior atrium at the entry, OMA also proposed enclosing a portion of the building exterior in glass to make a new gathering space. "The build- ing is shaped like an E in plan, with wings framing two courtyards. We are enclosing the southern courtyard with glass to create a collective space at the heart of the building [that overlooks the Leslie Dan Pharmacy Building to the east], interiorizing some of the brick façade," says Long. O'Molloy adds that the atrium is a great example of how the team man- aged to preserve the rich character of the building, while also providing a high-quality modern workspace. "This area will provide a new central shared space within the building, which we expect will become a favourite des- tination within this area of the St. George campus," O'Molloy explains. A bridge on the second level also connects the spaces, and acts as another area for interconnectedness. "The primary goal was the creation of a modern, flexible, collaborative office environment where the quality of space results from the acknowledgement and accommodation of an evolving me-to- we workplace culture. The housing of various university central administra- tion functions together under one roof will help create synergies and efficien- cies to best serve the academic needs of the university," says O'Molloy. On the third floor the old library has been restored into a meeting room, and yet there are subtle nods once again to its time in history "We managed to keep the integrity of the original design by just striping old paint off," says Messina. As part of the renovation, the mechanical and electrical systems in the basement of the building have been replaced with new equipment controlled by a new building auto- mation/energy management system. "The mechanical and electrical are state-of-the-art and feature high- tech transformers and generators, as well as a lot of pumps and chilled beams throughout the building that help make it an incredibly sustainable building," says Messina. As with any renovation, there were some surprises along the way, but nothing insurmountable. "We are proud to be working with the univer- sity and RDHA to give the building a new life and improve its function within the campus," says Long, to which Goyeche adds, "Renovation by its very nature is a sustainable solu- tion. It makes us proud to be able to partner with people who have a vision to adapt these buildings and make them more sustainable." O'Molloy concludes by say- ing: "The challenge of working on this project as an adaptive reuse with the number of site conditions that needed to be addressed meant the entire project team was con- stantly working to resolve issues as they arose. Their efforts will hope- fully see that the building enters a new lease of life to be enjoyed by the occupants and wider university com- munity for the next 100 years." A

• Cover