Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/755184
DECEMBER 2016 | 69 Canadian Natural Resources Limited Engineering Complex – University of Calgary PHOTOGRAPHY BY RILEY BRANDT/COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Canadian Natural Resources Limited Engineering Complex – University of Calgary by ROBIN BRUNET A ny building development on a university campus is challenging due to site constraints and scheduling constrictions, and the expansion and renovations of the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary (which would form the Canadian Natural Resources Limited Engineering Complex) was no different in this regard. Many expansion options were developed, but the preferred scheme challenged the design and construction teams to carefully connect to five of six phases of original building that had been constructed over the past 50 years. An early mandate from the University, was to maintain and revitalize the existing buildings, thereby capturing the embodied energy of their very robust infrastructure and allow ongoing use during implementation of the project. The design and execution of such a complex project required significant collaboration between the consultant team led by Gibbs Gage Architects and collaborating architects Diamond Schmitt Architects, the University's team, their project manager pivotal projects and the construction managers EllisDon. Gibbs Gage Architects partner Stephen Mahler says the success of the project "is a direct result of some amazing teamwork where each team member contributed in meaningful ways." The original buildings formed a U-shaped courtyard and the preferred expansion concept was to infill it to centralize the functional program, creating a much-needed "heart" for the faculty. The design features a central five-storey atrium that creates very important north to south and east to west cross-campus pedestrian circulation routes, and encourages social and academic interaction. The 197,000-square-feet facility is comprised of advanced research labs and seven new and refurbished lecture theatres, ranging in size from 90 to 240 seats; construction includes an 119,000-square-feet renovation of the existing buildings in the engineering complex. According to Boris Dragicevic, the University's associate VP, facilities development, benchmarking work that commenced in 2008 determined that the engineering component of the campus was space deficient, and various costing models were studied to ensure the project would be delivered as efficiently as possible. The Gibbs Gage/Diamond Schmitt team led by Mahler and Diamond Schmitt principal David Dow, designed the expansion as a coherent centralized block with extensive glazing to give the massive structure an airy appearance. The atrium, which connects the new building to the existing engineering complex, provides a central gathering space for the faculty complete with an informal amphitheatre. To the south side of the complex, facing a new sun filled quadrangle, the team created a signature multipurpose study space over top of the new south entry. This beacon for engineering is expressively supported by two structural steel cross braces and is draped in fritted glass supported on structural glass fins. On the level below, which was formerly a basement, the team created a walk-out condition to a new south courtyard admitting natural light and creating access to programmable outdoor space. Lecture spaces are crucial to Schulich's success, the design team ingeniously located one of two, 200- plus person theatres "below grade on the south side of the building, maintaining important outdoor space for the campus, and the other on the north side with retractable seating and natural light that can be infinitely adapted by creative engineers to work on and display their research and innovation," according to Mahler. Chris Davis, associate with Read Jones Christoffersen praises Schulich's design for visually reflecting the fact that it is an expansion of the engineering school. "Elements of the structure were not hidden but purposely left visible as a feature," he explains. "Examples of this are two large 17-metre-high cross braces that can be seen through the glass walls of the south entrance; a one-storey-height truss between the third and fourth floors displaying bolted connections; and stairs supported on steel hanger rods and columns located away from the floors they are supporting." As for matching the old complex with the new, Davis says, "A lot of care and attention was taken to preserve the feel of the existing building by keeping the original precast cladding and incorporating it into the new architecture. "With many of our engineers being graduates of the school, this was a very important aspect of the project for us. It involved changing the support conditions for many panels, and taking great care during construction to make sure the fragile panels were not damaged." Arguably, Read Jones Christoffersen's most complex task was to ensure the seismic stability of the old complex the new facility would tie into. "There was no way to take shortcuts," says Davis. "We had to assess each of the seven structures comprising the sprawling complex and determine if and where bracing and other measures were required." For the foundations of the new facility, piles had to be drilled through 10 metres of fine silty soil before they reached clay till. Construction of the Schulich School of Engineering expansion and renovation project commenced in September of 2013. Sean Dekoning, senior project manager for EllisDon Construction Services, says many of the wings connecting the old to the new were decades old, and "the as-built drawings weren't complete, so we had our fair share of surprises; plus, asbestos removal was required." Once the structural issues had been addressed, EllisDon crews found themselves polishing existing concrete slabs and reclaiming existing tiles in order for them to blend visually with the materials of the new facility. "This was an easy and cost- effective way to unite the different components," says Dekoning. Meanwhile, given that Schulich was a LEED Gold targeted project, O2 Planning + Design Inc. made extensive use of bioswales and infiltration beds to improve stormwater quality, decrease runoff and provide short-term detention. The team provided bio-engineered mechanically stabilized earth walls to eliminate the need for unsightly concrete retaining walls, and installed geomatics monuments and stormwater flow monitoring devices that not only act as focal points within the landscape, but also act as teaching tools for professors within the engineering faculty. Students and teachers were welcomed to the new school in September of 2016; however, another year of renovation work, involving opening up old corridors and other tasks, remains. Dragicevic says, "We're very happy with the outcome, and obviously we are looking forward to 2017 when everything will be finished. This has been an extremely complex undertaking, but thanks to our funding bodies and the talented design and construction teams, Schulich will become a centre of excellence for collaborative teaching, learning and engineering research in Alberta, Canada and internationally." A LOCATION 622 Collegiate Pl., Calgary, Alberta OWNER/DEVELOPER University of Calgary ARCHITECTS Gibbs Gage Architects / Diamond Schmitt Architects PROJECT MANAGER Pivotal Projects Inc. CONSTRUCTION MANAGER EllisDon Construction Services Inc. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Read Jones Christoffersen Consulting Engineers Ltd. MECHANICAL ENGINEERING CONSULTANT Wiebe Forest Engineering Ltd. (a division of SNC Lavalin Inc.) ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT SMP Engineering LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT O2 Planning + Design Inc. TOTAL SIZE 197,000 square feet TOTAL COST $174 million