Award

effort during the detailed design, Group2 was responsible for the arena and library; Perkins+Will handled the aquatics com- ponents, gym and multi-purpose areas. Despite the geographical distance between the two archi- tecture firms, the collaboration proceeded effortlessly. "Our firms share similar design values, and this meant we only needed to schedule group meetings in Edmonton or Toronto every couple of weeks," says Smith. "The entire project was done in Revit, which saved enormous time and expense." One of the biggest challenges was envisioning how the facility would relate to a neighbourhood that was still in the planning stages. "The Meadows site was surrounded by fields, so where to place the actual building took a lot of thought," says Smith. "Eventually we positioned it centrally on the site and as close to 17th Street as possible." Extensive glazing was chosen early on in conjunction with exterior amenities to blur the line between interior and exte- rior activity and give the huge facility a light, airy ambiance. "Three of the library walls have glazing, which also highlights the Glulam beams and wood ceilings topping the facility," says Schneider. Creating exterior elements required careful forethought. "Natural ice is becoming harder to maintain due to the extremities of the seasons, so we had to develop an artificial ice alternative for the skate loop," explains Smith. PCL Construction project manager Dallas Miles remarks, "We had built plenty of community centres in the past, but The Meadows contained unique elements such as the skating loop and large Glulam beams used as structural decking. This compelled us to rely on other professionals with knowledge in specific fields." With an eye to achieving LEED Silver, the design and con- struction teams created efficiencies where waste would oth- erwise occur. "For example, the energy used to create the ice for the two hockey arenas normally produces a lot of waste heat, but The Meadows utilizes this waste to heat the arena seating area, pool change rooms, second-level running track as well as heat exchangers for the pool water," says Schneider. "In addition, the ice refrigeration compressors and thermal ice storage provide cooling for the building while saving energy at the same time." As for the green roof capping the library, it was augmented with a reflective skin to minimize unwanted heat gain inside the building. "Green roofs are normally out of pedestrians' view, but due to the undulating roof of the library the green elements can be glimpsed from street level," says Smith. It became apparent early on that contractors normally brought in during the latter stages of a project would have to be retained earlier for The Meadows. "The design called for structural masonry in the arenas," says Miles. "Usually you bring in masons after a structure is completed, but in this case they came aboard early." At peak, PCL had 200 people working on the site, and despite challenges such as some of the structural steel ele- ments having to be re-designed, Miles credits clear communi- cation between the City, the architects and his firm for making the construction process relatively uneventful. As of August, landscaping work was well underway in anticipation of a late fall opening. As for the surrounding neighbourhood Schneider says, "a bus loop installed next to the facility will open in conjunction with the public opening, meaning everyone in the city will have easy access to The Meadows. The facility will be surrounded by sports fields on three sides with ample parking provided." As for The Meadows itself, Schneider concludes, "The build- ing is fantastic and the wood elements are spectacular. Com- munity centres should have plenty of visual appeal in addition to great amenities, and we've achieved exactly that with The Meadows as well as the soon-to-be-completed Clareview Community Recreation Centre and Library." ■ location 2704 17 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta owner/developer City of Edmonton architects Group2 Architecture Interior Design Ltd. / Perkins+Will Canada General contractor PCL Construction Management Inc. structural consultants Yolles CH2M Hill Partnership Inc. / Group2 Architecture Engineering Ltd. Mechanical/electrical/civil consultant Williams Engineering Canada Inc. BuildinG envelope consultant Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. landscape architect Dialog aquatics consultant Water Technology Inc. total size 234,419 square feet total construction cost $93 million october 2014 /55 Meadows community recreation centre & Library 10:58 AM 12:04 PM Mytec Contracting.indd 1 14-09-23 9:30 AM

• Cover