Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/687429
J UNE 2016 | 93 Naval Reserve Building – HMCS Carleton PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY GRC ARCHITECTS INC. Naval Reserve Building – HMCS Carleton by ROBIN BRUNET O ne doesn't normally associate the Canadian military with architectural appreciation, especially to the degree that a bold visual statement would survive the conception stage and define the finished product. But that's exactly the case with the Department of National Defence's (DND) new Naval Reserve Building HMCS Carleton, located at Dow's Lake in Ottawa. Unlike an almost 70-year old facility that formerly occupied the site, the new two-level, 5,805-square-metre HMCS Carleton, designed by GRC Architects, is meant to evoke a ship, with porthole windows and a swooping profile. As well as training facilities, the new concrete block and steel structure includes offices, classrooms, training areas, stores and a boathouse. These elements are disposed over two levels that surround a double-height drill deck area. The entire project was built to LEED Silver standards – as was an identical "sister" building, HMCS Hunter, located beside the Detroit River in Windsor, Ontario. Martin Tite, principal, GRC Architects, says working with the DND was an especially rewarding experience: "They are the most design- focused client out there. Better still from a work point of view, they were open to our suggestions and respectful of what we brought to the table." A productive work environment was essential to this project, as GRC was mandated to develop a standard building design common to, and suitable to, both sites. "Entrance locations, building form and appearance were important features of the design response to both sites," says Tite, adding that extensive consultations with the National Capital Commission (a key stakeholder that had some sway over the HMCS Carleton project) led to a design that addressed and enhanced the interests of the NCC with regards to the character of the 1.95-hectare waterfront location. "All of this was achieved without compromising the functionality or the cost effectiveness of the facility itself." Kamal Mostafa, DND project manager, says while visual esthetics were important, "We designed first for functionality, as there were many program requirements to be fulfilled. Cost effectiveness was a prime consideration, and creating the same design and using the same architects for the Carleton and Hunter was a good way to achieve this." Duplication of design also serves a psychological purpose. "It's a common military practice and addresses the mobile nature of many of its members," explains Tite. "In other words, familiarity is an important element in military life, for people that are too often away from home." While HMCS Carleton and Hunter are virtually identical, the different locations posed different challenges for the architects and Ruiter Construction. "Basically, HMCS Hunter sits on piles and HMCS Carleton is slab-on-grade," says Mostafa, to which Tite adds, "the Ottawa site is such that we had to allow for one of the original naval reserve buildings to remain and be occupied during construction. We also had to orient the new building to allow for pedestrian traffic, because Dow's Lake is such a busy location." Structural specialist Peter Chang, owner of Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Ltd., discusses other site discrepancies. "With HMCS Carleton being on rock, we didn't have water issues to deal with as we did at the Windsor site," he says. "However, Ottawa is the second highest earthquake zone in Canada, so there was more diligence required and connections were more tricky to achieve to ensure lateral load resistance." Chang is referring to the cladding that would give HMCS Carleton its frigate- like appearance. "The connections were finicky, since the cladding extended as much as 10 feet away from the building envelope in some areas," he explains. "Plus, the structural braces would remain exposed, so we developed a circular plate at the front of the building on which six braces converge, thus achieving the desired visual appearance. We worked hard on that particular aspect of the project and are proud of the result." Chang expresses admiration for GRC's attention to detail: "For example, the drill hall in the middle of the building is slightly elevated – by about five or six feet – to admit natural light into the area. It's a subtle but enormously impactful touch." Larry McMillan, senior mechanical designer for WSP Canada Inc., says that because portions of the facility would be fully occupied while other areas would be empty, the fluctuation in building peak occupancy allowed the WSP team to avoid oversizing mechanical systems, while maintaining occupancy comfort in either scenario. McMillan adds that although HMCS Carleton and Hunter were essentially the same, "the mechanical systems were different due to the different climates of the two locations, along with different site orientation and therefore different solar loads. This meant different capacity of the air handler coils and different chiller capabilities. That said, HMCS Carleton was the easier project because it didn't have a methane issue as was the case with Hunter, which required a dedicated extractor." Plumbing fixture efficiencies and a reverse flow air-to-air exchanger all contributed to LEED Silver points. Final touches included the use of natural stone at the building base, to integrate HMCS Carleton with surrounding open landscaped space. Landscape architect James B. Lennox & Associates Inc. also developed elements such as planter benches at the front of the facility. Last March, the builders, architects and government officials congregated at the site to lay the ceremonial keel of HMCS Carleton, and a cylinder with a commemorative coin and a timber from the original building was placed in the quarter deck of the stone frigate. Tite says, "This was a wonderful and very fulfilling project." Mostafa agrees, "Everyone involved did a great job. This is a fantastic facility that far exceeds our expectations." A LOCATION 79 Prince of Wales Drive, Ottawa, Ontario OWNER/DEVELOPER Department of National Defence ARCHITECT GRC Architects Inc. GENERAL CONTRACTOR Ruiter Construction Ltd. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Ltd. MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL/ CIVIL/LEED CONSULTANT WSP Canada Inc. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT James B. Lennox & Associates Inc. TOTAL SIZE 5,805 square metres TOTAL PROJECT COST $36.4 million (includes HMCS Hunter and HMCS Carleton)