Award

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2 | 63 The Quad Student Residence – Phase II – York University R EN D ER I N GS CO U RT E S Y C A M P US SU I T E S THE QUAD STUDENT RESIDENCE – PHASE II – YORK UNIVERSITY by LAURIE JONES T he Quad Student Residence project at York University in Toronto, Ontario, has been in the works for many years. It began after Campus Suites, along with Forum Asset Management, won an RFP to build a private, on-campus develop- ment in 2010. The contract allowed for the building of up to 3,000 beds, with 1,500 currently being finished in the first two phases. Collectively, the first four buildings in distinct, black and white composite clad exteriors make a commanding visual at the southern entrance to the University. "We are finishing the second stage of the first four buildings – C3 and C4 – that are located at the south end of the York University campus," says Henry Morton, president of Campus Suites. "Each of the two eight-sto- rey buildings have incorporated an art design, in keeping with Toronto's StreetARToronto [StART] program. The first two buildings on campus have artwork etched in the cladding with the use of a CNC machine that takes 1⁄16 of an inch off the composite panels. What's fascinating is where the etching occurs there are beauti- ful refractions of light on the exposed aluminum that we never anticipated." The footprint of the two residences in phase two are unique in that C3 is an L-shaped structure, while C4 is square shape. "The courtyard within the square C4 building is designed with significant foliage and allows stu- dents to read or participate in other quiet activities," says Josh Morton, VP of Campus Suites. "This is also where our public art will be on display, which we're really excited about. The area will have a restaurant with outdoor seating, so it's going to be really nice." Christophe Gauthier, princi- pal at ARK (Architects + Research + Knowledge Inc.) says a lot of thought was put into creating unique identi- ties for the buildings, such as exterior courtyards where students can gather and experience an interconnection with activities both inside and out. "With regard to the buildings in phase two, the ground floor features pro- grammatic synergies between study, sports, fitness, and retail." Gauthier notes that while the exteriors of the buildings are mono- chromatic in the black and white, inside the ambiance changes, with every floor being defined by a differ- ent colour. "It's a form of wayfinding with pops of colour, and the LV T floor- ing makes the design really simple, in a modern way. The accent colours can be seen in both public and private spaces [such as the elevator lobbies] and on the backsplashes in the kitch- enettes and the bathrooms." Guela Solow-Ruda, managing part- ner at ARK, says she has been working LOCATION 85 The Pond Road & 75 Haynes Road, Toronto, Ontario OWNER /DEVELOPER Campus Suites / Forum Asset Management ARCHITECT ARK Inc. CONSTRUCTION MANAGER /IPD Buttcon Limited MECHANICAL /ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT MCW Consultants Ltd. L ANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Quinn Design Associates TOTAL SIZE 290,518 square feet TOTAL COST $93 million with Campus Suites from the start of The Quad planning details, and for her the question was how to redefine what it means to create a home for young people, many of whom are leav- ing their family for the first time, or leaving their home country to study. "We've had a wonderful opportu- nity to incrementally create a master plan and streetscape for a whole resi- dential community," she explains. "The buildings take up two city blocks and while they have a strong urban relationship to each other, each is unique. We did that by using the same material palette yet employ- ing the architecture to frame the spaces like the forecourt, squares, and courtyards. We also created indoor gathering spaces for recreation, studying, meeting, and cooking in communal kitchens. The phases also have evolving floor plans." Solow-Ruda adds that the floor- to-ceiling glazing contributes to the feeling of community as students can see what is going on outside, and those outside can see what is going on in the lounges inside. For Claudio Ruoso, construction manager at Buttcon, one of the most important aspects of the success of this build was the incorporation of Lean construction methods. "This was intro- duced in phase one, but we really took it to heart with phase two," Ruoso says. "Campus Suites explained this is how they approach their projects, and the emphasis of this method is working closely with your sub-trades to make it a partnership of sorts. The trades become involved in looking at efficien- cies in the construction, at making the work more productive, and getting materials to the site when it's required. This creates a sense of trust between the contractor, the consultants, the cli- ent, and ourselves, and it really helped push the project forward, keeping the project on time. This worked despite the challenges of COVID, supply chain issues, and escalation in costs. It was a great group of companies coming together for a successful result." A

• Cover