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A PR IL 2017 | 73 GoodLife Fitness Family Autism Hub (The Hub) PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEREK LEPPER/COURTESY NSDA ARCHITECTS GoodLife Fitness Family Autism Hub (The Hub) by NATALIE BRUCKNER-MENCHELLI T here is no question that the GoodLife Fitness Family Autism Hub (The Hub) project in Richmond, B.C. will have a massive impact on its users and the community. The $28-million facility has been designed to address the challenges of living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related disorders. This provincial knowledge centre incorporates state-of-the-art resources for research, information dissemination and learning opportunities, as well as assessment, treatment and support for the lifespan needs of individuals and their families living with ASD in B.C. The idea came about thanks to the forward-thinking attitude of Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia and her husband Sergio Cocchia who wanted to create a "centre of excellence," and set up the Pacific Autism Family Network to raise the money. "In 2009, with support from the provincial government, we began a conversation with our community about creating a centre of excellence for ASD and related disorders. We were disappointed to find that families in B.C. still struggled to access diagnosis, therapy and unbiased information. It was felt that we were fractured and could accomplish more by creating a collaborative that would work together to improve lives for families and individuals around the province," explains Sergio Cocchia, co-founder of the Pacific Autism Family Network. Of course, finding the best location is never easy. But following an extensive search for appropriate land around the lower mainland, a unique site was chosen. "Firstly because it had a perfect zoning, which allowed all that we hoped to accomplish without having to go through a rezoning, and secondly, it is a wonderful location in relations to public transport, and its vicinity to the airport speaks to its provincial focus," says Cocchia. Bounded by the Fraser River, an active public pathway on two sides and an existing roadway on a third meant the site could only be accessed from a single point. "As a result, material deliveries and work had to be carefully sequenced and staged in order to allow multiple trades to access the site simultaneously," says Steve Craig, Ventana project manager, the general contractor on the project. When it came to the design of the three-storey post and beam wood building, early design research and consultation was conducted with autism experts who emphasized that the building should be warm, approachable and inviting. The long, narrow site also greatly influenced the building, which has been designed to create a space where individuals and families living with ASD would feel comfortable and welcome. "In order to meet the programmatic needs of the centre, a linear concept was developed with the main three- storey mass of the building oriented in a north-south direction, parallel to Cessna Drive, and subsidiary massing oriented east-west," explains Larry Adams, principal at NSDA Architects. All materials for the project were selected based on their durability, functionality, esthetics and low environmental footprint, with a high priority placed on materials sourced locally and containing recycled content. "The building envelope consists of a variety of materials including cedar siding, composite and metal wall panels, and curtain wall glazing with a TPO roofing system," says Craig. "Acoustics were of great importance due to the specific sensitivity of the building clientele to noise, so the exterior walls, glazing systems and roof structure incorporated extensive insulation measures." Head on inside, and again this careful attention to detail shines through, whether you are stood in the Knowledge Centre, Information Centre, the LifeSpan Centre, the Clinic and Research Centre, or the Treatment Centre. The linear concept allowed the program components on all three floors to be accessible from large corridors that run north-south along the west side of the building. These corridors are glazed to provide as much daylight and views as possible, and again provide an acoustic buffer from the traffic noise. "The extensive and predominant use of wood for the structural elements and the extensive attention to acoustics contribute to the immediately noticeable peacefulness of the building," says Craig. Marika Beise, owner of Rock Paper Square, who acted as the interior design consultant, brought with her a wealth of experience, having worked on numerous ASD-related projects in the past. "The interior design philosophy was to provide a safe space for users that's inviting and family friendly," says Beise. The design has been colour blocked in such a way that is reflective of the outdoor environment, and brings calm and serenity inside. "We thought about the way you progress from the grass to the sky and sunshine and the clouds. This means the first floor, which is for younger users, is green, the second floor for the adolescents is yellow, and the third floor, which is mainly for staff, is of a blue/periwinkle colour," explains Beise. This colour blocking (which can also be seen on feature doors to indicate the use of the room) also acts as a wayfinding concept, so users don't feel overly stimulated. "It provides visual communication for our users. The overall design was meant to be interactive and playful," says Beise. She also worked alongside architectural signage company EEC Industries to come up with a rather novel wayfinding concept of paper airplanes featured along the wall. When it came to the mechanical and electrical systems provided by WSP Canada, a state-of-the-art heating and cooling in-floor radiant system was chosen that utilizes heat recovery units on the hydronic and building exhaust. This greatly diminished the need for fans, vents and dampers that can be a sensory challenge. The building also utilizes state-of-the-art lighting controls, as well as having extensive security and audio visual capabilities. Being located adjacent to an area designated as environmentally sensitive meant that landscape architect Perry + Associates not only had to consider the sensitivities and needs of the user but also the existing land inhabitants. Layered and textured planted transitions help integrate the site into its context. Landscape treatments have been formalized at the street edges and naturalized at the riverfront dyke, and new formal street trees are provided off-site on Cessna Drive. Secure outdoor courtyards are located on the quieter sunny sides of the building along the Fraser River Foreshore public dyke trail. These courtyards are contained within an undulating secure wood fence that stretches the length of the centre. It's fair to say The Hub is something very special. "When we reflect on our years of work on the design of the The Hub, what comes to mind is the commitment of the entire project team to the successful delivery of the project. From the clients [Sergio Cocchia and Wendy Lisagor-Cocchia], to the many autism advisory groups, the consultants, CitySpaces, Ventana and the City of Richmond, there was a life affirming energy and dedication on everyone's part to the provision of a nurturing environment for people living with ASD," says Adams. "The best way to describe The Hub would be to share the comment by one of the members of our self-advocate group who, upon walking in said, 'now I'm home,'" concludes Cocchia. A LOCATION 3688 Cessna Dr, Richmond, B.C. OWNER/DEVELOPER Pacific Autism Family Centre Foundation PROJECT MANAGER CitySpaces Consulting Ltd. ARCHITECT NSDA Architects GENERAL CONTRACTOR Ventana Construction Corporation STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Fast + Epp MECHANICAL/ ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT WSP Canada LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Perry + Associates INTERIOR DESIGN CONSULTANT Rock Paper Square TOTAL SIZE 58,000 square feet TOTAL COST $28 million 2:41 PM

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