Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/493534
A PR IL 2015 | 97 Science Teaching Complex – University of Waterloo PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY ZAS ARCHITECTS + INTERIORS INC. / NXL ARCHITECTS Science Teaching Complex – University of Waterloo by ROBIN BRUNET C reating hubs of activity has always been an important objective of uni- versity evolution; this, along with accommodating a significant growth in the science faculty undergraduate pro- gram is what spurred the development of the University of Waterloo's new Science Teaching Complex. Located in the heart of a 34,000 student populated campus, the five- storey, 130,000-square-foot Complex was, as of late February, still in the midst of construction, with mountains of cleared snow a testament to the less- than-satisfactory weather conditions the Bondfield Construction crew were obliged to endure. The $37.7-million Science Teaching Complex' elaborate, multi-tiered design is an addition to an existing three-sto- rey biology building. "We consider this to be the new home for science students; a hub of activity where they can gather, collaborate and work towards their educational goals," UW dean of science Terry McMahon told attendees during the groundbreaking ceremony. When completed for occupancy this fall, the facility will feature a suite of lecture rooms, including a 425-seat amphitheatre (the largest on campus), as well as five additional 150-seat class- rooms. First-year teaching labs, student lounges, meeting rooms and a student café are also included in the Complex. The project team includes Z AS Architects + Interiors, NXL Architects, MCW Consultants, JMR Electric Ltd. and Read Jones Christoffersen. The lat- ter has worked on various University of Waterloo projects, and both Bondfield and ZAS had previously worked together to bring the institution's Stratford Campus to life with the creation of a 42,000-square-foot building for digital media. That facility, which boasted the tallest installation of Christie MicroTiles in North America, was opened in 2012 – by which time the design of the Science Teaching Complex had been developed. ZAS turned its attentions to the Complex by defining some materiality more clearly and resolving minor func- tional issues. "The owner had come up with the design and we merely followed a prescriptive criteria given to us by them," says principal Andrzej Gortat, adding that although LEED certifica- tion wasn't pursued by the owners, the project shadowed LEED Silver. Despite the complexity of interior elements that is endemic to any teach- ing facility, ZAS designed everything with layout functionality as the upper- most consideration. Extensive use of glazing helps bring natural light into the rooms; a student lounge and cafeteria are housed outside in a glazed podium, and a second level will contain adminis- tration offices. The Science Teaching Complex will connect with the biology building via an L-shaped atrium, which ZAS designed as a heavily glazed structure with sky- lights in order to impart a light and airy ambiance; meanwhile, the stepped- back podium arrangements of the main Complex give what would otherwise be an imposing building a welcoming, user- friendly appearance. In order to provide some visual con- tinuity with the biology building, brick was chosen as a cladding material, along with punched windows reminiscent of that facility. Special attention was paid to the Complex's basement, an area that is often the claustrophobic bane of higher learning institutes. Because the base- ment would contain five classrooms accommodating about 150 students each, ZAS designed the rooms as tiered lecture halls and brought in natural light through openings on the main floor. Brent Lodge, principal of Read Jones Christoffersen, says building the basement was tricky because of the Complex's close proximity to the biol- ogy building and another facility, one of which had a basement. "What we did was come up with a basement mezza- nine strategy, so to speak," he explains. "In other words, we built the basement to half height and then stepped down away from the existing buildings to greater depths. This enabled us to avoid expensive shoring work or the under- pinning of foundations." The multi-tiered shape of the Complex combined with the need for column- free lecture halls and class- rooms obliged Read Jones Christoffersen to formulate mult iple st r uc t ural solu- tions. "For example, we had a lecture theatre rising from ground to second level that required a column-free space of 20 metres in width," says Lodge. "The smaller classrooms were 16 metres in width, so we had to transfer columns above these structures and use a variety of solutions based on depth avail- able for structure. We used a two-storey-high concrete wall as a transfer, steel trusses over the big lecture theatre, and else- where we used double one- metre-deep steel beams and reinforced concrete beams." ZAS had to make a few design adjust- ments and solve last-minute problems. "For example, before construction could commence we had to redirect an exit of the biology building because it emptied directly onto the construction site," says Gortat. "Also, intense co-ordination efforts were required to accommodate a pedestrian bridge that would connect our building on the third floor to another building concurrently constructed across the street." Site excavation was completed by December of 2012, and by November of 2013 the footings for the building were nearly complete with construction on the ground f loor underway, starting with the eastern section. One interesting feature of the Complex is the atrium steel roof. "This is note- worthy because it cantilevers out from the fourth level and over the roof of the biology building," says Lodge. "We did this so that snow blows off our build- ing and doesn't accumulate on the roof of the biology building, thus protecting its structural integrity." As the Science Teaching Complex nears completion, Lodge summarizes the sentiments of many of his colleagues when he says, "The building's intricate design posed many challenges, all of which were overcome; and the result is something we feel will be special to the University of Waterloo campus." A LOCATION University of Waterloo 200 University Avenue, West Waterloo, Ontario OWNER/DEVELOPER University Of Waterloo ARCHITECT ZAS Architects + Interiors Inc. / NXL Architects GENERAL CONTRACTOR Bondfield Construction STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Read Jones Christoffersen MECHANICAL/ ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT MCW Consultants Ltd. INTERIOR DESIGN Trow Associates Inc. LEED CONSULTANT ZAS Architects + Interiors Inc. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT P.F. Kaudewitz Landscape Architects Ltd. TOTAL SIZE 120,000+ square feet TOTAL COST $37.7 million 2:53 PM