Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/178290
BOTH PHOTOS (TOP): JERRY HUMENY Establishing and nurturing relationships is at the core of aodbt's approach to architecture and design, and its value is evident in its work with clients. Those early school addition and renovation projects for First Nations led to the commission in 1992 for the $4-million Wanuskewin World Heritage Park: a Northern Plains Indians interpretive centre located outside Saskatoon. Wanuskewin was a great project for us," says Olfert. Indeed, the award-winning interpretive centre has been the springboard for the irm's involvement in other major projects such as the All Nations Healing Hospital in Fort Qu'Appelle, many First Nations schools and the Ile-a-la-Crosse Integrated Services Centre, which houses a high school, clinic, hospital, long-term care, child care, public health and mental health services, early and adult education, and community recreation spaces under one roof. Educational facilities form a large portion of the 17 LEED projects and more than $500 million of construction activity that aodbt is currently involved in. Principal architect Louis Aussant is currently in the design phase for three school projects. Aussant describes himself as a cross between an architect, an accountant and an engineer to explain his specialization in 'value' architecture. Applied to school design, it's about "… identifying opportunities to share space for activities like band, or for students with disabilities, and achieving 100 per cent utilization instead of 50 per cent, so you can take those extra dollars and offer a greater variety of spaces for students, and value for our clients." Aussant's career provides a good example of aodbt's approach to relationship building, and how the irm has grown both organically, and as opportunities popped up. While an architecture student, he worked for the irm for two summers in the mid-1990s, and then as an intern architect before settling in Calgary for 14 years. The irm's partners kept in touch, and in 2010 Aussant returned to Saskatoon with his young family. At age 42, he is one of the 'young guns,' and part of a carefully planned succession plan for the irm. He is, he says, "huge on daylighting, using high-performance glazing and frames." Aussant is also part of the team working on the new $122-million, multipurpose Saskatoon Police headquarters building, a complex project where aodbt has PHOTO: GRANT ROMANCIA PHOTO: THOMAS PORTER Top images: Bethlehem Catholic High School, Saskatoon. Left: Saskatchewan Forestry Centre, Prince Albert. Below: aodbt architecture + interior design staff in front of the renovated office in Saskatoon. partnered with CS&P Architects of Toronto. Other notable partnerships in Saskatoon include the Irene and Leslie Dube Centre for Mental Health, with Cannon Design, and the new home for Persephone Theatre, with Peter Smith. "The Dube Centre for Mental Health was my irst with aodbt," Tiessen notes, "and I was engaged from the beginning. I learned a lot about how design can affect patients, families and caregivers, and it's great to hear the positive impact the centre is having on patients." Tiessen has been involved with several corporate and commercial projects, including the conversion of a 1910 grocery warehouse in Saskatoon into three loors of of ices for tenants with different needs, and Zone Sports Physiotherapy, a medical services centre on Saskatoon's northern outskirts. Tiessen, along with other aodbt young guns – design architect Dan Reeves and engineer Mitch Strocen – led the team that transformed the former egg storage warehouse into an energy-ef icient, light- illed design studio that also showcases various systems and inishes for visiting clients to consider in their projects. Strocen, the irm's sustainability specialist and one of 15 LEED-accredited aodbt staffers, was the project manager. The most dramatic change involved replacing the north-facing block wall with a 12-by-60-foot window. "Now there is natural light lowing into the studio from three sides," says Strocen. "We ground up the concrete block from the new window openings and used it to ill the sloped loading dock to create a staff patio. Since about a quarter of the staff bike, car pool or use transit," he continues, "we provided a bike compound, change rooms and showers. There's a Smart car and a compact hybrid four-by-four available for anyone who needs to attend a meeting or make a site visit." Tiessen adds that the design studio is organized to encourage creative interaction, including innovative design features like differing wall heights around work areas. The spacious studio has accommodated up to 90 employees and their families at Christmas parties. A gorgeous handcrafted canoe – bought at a charity fundraiser – hangs from the ceiling at one end of the space, while a large ibreglass Humpty Dumpty igure dominates the staff lunch room, a bit of inspired whimsy that connects aodbt's studio to its utilitarian past. ■ aodbt architecture + interior design p.08-11aodbt cover story.indd 10 3/26/12 2:12:16 PM