Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/177297
courtesy City of Markham Cornell Community Centre and Library by Christine Peets he City of Markham has entered a new era in community planning. "The Cornell Community Centre and Library (CCC&L), situated in the Cornell District of Markham, was conceived around a specific set of planning principles called new urbanism," says Duff Balmer, principal architect with Perkins+Will Inc. An enclosed bridge connects the centre to the expanded Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH), and the partnership between the City and MSH facilitates complementary programming and new ways of delivering of health, recreation, cultural, educational and other community services in one location. Within the total gross floor area of 154,000 square feet is 130,000 square feet of program space. The Markham District Energy (MDE) plant on the west side of the property provides service to both buildings. The site for the new fire station (FS 99) is on the south property line to provide those services to the community. Accommodating this construction required significant infrastructure changes. "A common construction access road for the facilities and the overlapping and coordination of services between the MDE project, MSH, the CCC&L project and FS 99 has required close synchronization between all members of the design teams, the construction teams and the owners," says Les Camm, senior project manager from MHPM Project Managers Inc. "This has been a challenging project because it is a complex development on a very busy campus. The success of the collaborative team building and the progressive strategy sessions helped to realize the vision for the project and ensured a coordinated approach." Work on the project, the largest single recreational facility expenditure in the City of Markham's history, began in 2010. "As part of the design process, extensive consultation meetings were held with City staff, community stakeholders, members of the public, and the MSH design committee to establish the best mix of programs for this specific precinct," Balmer says. Features include the 25,000-square-foot library, which includes a 2,000-square-foot medical library, a triple gymnasia with overhead running track, an aquatics centre, health and fitness centre, rehearsal/lecture hall, multi-use spaces for youth and older adults, an indoor playground, a multi-sensory room, change rooms, service spaces, and a food and beverage outlet. The building blends into the neighbourhood via its brick cladding, sensitive scale and punched T Cornell Community Centre and Library p82-83Cornell Community Centre.indd 83 window openings. "A dark manganese 'iron spot' brick helps distinguish the building while generous proportions of glazing evoke a modern approach with emphasis on transparency and function," says Balmer. "The structure has been framed in cast-in-place concrete up to the second floor, while structural steel, a significant amount of which is exposed, has been used for the cladding support framing and the roof framing above," says Mike Watters from Halcrow, the structural engineer. "Macalloy rods were used extensively, providing the vertical bracing and horizontal roof bracing. Macalloy rods were also used to form the bottom chords of the long roof trusses that span 43 metres and 30 metres respectively over the aquatic centre and the gymnasium. Other features include a second-floor cantilevered cast-in-place running track around the gym, and a saw-tooth framed clerestory support system over the lobby corridor. It should also be noted that loading provisions have been made for the future installation of roof-mounted solar panels." The project is seeking LEED Silver, at minimum, with many conservation and site initiatives, as well as the efficient use of materials and resources. These include: use of cistern water for irrigation and in washrooms; use of low-water plumbing fixtures and automatic fixture controls; efficient glazing and lighting; occupancy and daylight sensors; elimination of HCFCs; use of HFC refrigerants in HVAC equipment; connection with the MDE district plant for high-efficiency energy delivery; minimum 15 per cent recycled materials; regionally sourced materials; installation of carbon dioxide monitors with ventilation controls; provision of daylight to 75 per cent of interior spaces; inclusion of a 'living wall' bio-filtration system in the lobby; access to public transportation; bike racks and staff shower facilities; a 125,000-square-foot, three-level parking deck (with provision for an additional two storeys) as an alternative to extensive surface parking; and use of drought-resistant vegetation. Christine Abe from The MBTW Group notes that the landscape, "tries to achieve a balance between native and nonnative plants, and a balance where irrigation from the cistern would be used, and where it couldn't. This helps to achieve not only the sustainability objectives, but contributes to the overall esthetics." There is permeable paving on part of the site recharging the ground water where servicing is not located. Rubberized surfacing has been used on the outdoor half-basketball court and an urban plaza area combines green and hard surfaces providing a community gathering space with areas for retreat. "Just as there are quiet places for people to sit and read indoors, we wanted to provide those spaces outdoors," Abe says. Another exterior feature is adjacent to the neighbouring building where there wasn't room for traditional tree planting. This area has plants growing on a structure partially screening the parking structure that will fill in and create a solid green wall over time. ■ Location Bur Oak Drive at Church Street Markham, Ontario Owner/Developer The City of Markham Project Manager MHPM Project Managers Inc. Architect Perkins+Will Inc. General Contractor PCL Constructors Canada Structural Consultant Halcrow (a CH2M Hill Company) Mechanical Consultant Smith and Andersen Consulting Engineering Electrical Consultant Crossey Engineering Ltd. Inspection Consultant Aerodynamics Inspecting Consultants Environmental Consultant Enermodal Engineering Ltd. Landscape Architect The MBTW Group Total Project Size 154,000 square feet Total Project Cost $75 million december 2012 /83 11/16/12 3:47 PM