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DECEMBER 2017 | 45 Trent University – Student Centre RENDERINGS COURTESY TRENT UNIVERSITY Trent University – Student Centre by ROBIN BRUNET T he students of Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, have plenty to be proud of as their new 35,000-square-foot Student Centre nears completion. Not only does the facility complement the historic Ronald Thom architecture of other buildings on campus (including the adjacent library), while providing a unique three-storey structure built around an indoor plaza; the students can truly lay claim to calling it their own. Steven Pillar, VP finance and administration for Trent University, explains: "In 2014 they raised $10.5 million for the project through a student levy, and this got the project off the ground. In that regard and for other reasons, this is a remarkable achievement." The project began a decade ago with a conversation between the Trent Central Student Association and the University; the goal being to create a facility that can be used for clubs, groups, learning and extracurricular activities. Because the students are the driving force behind the Student Centre, they participated in focus group sessions, were part of the architect selection committee, and a driving force in choosing one of three design concepts that varied from two to three storeys, but maximized the Centre's picturesque location beside the Otonabee River. Julie Davis, VP of external relations and advancement for Trent University, says Teeple Architects "demonstrated a strong understanding of the importance of getting the architecture of the Student Centre right. With its central location on campus, this building needs to impress from every direction, while at the same time blend into and showcase the natural environment and other award-winning architecture around it." Teeple Architects ultimately provided what it calls "an exploration of connections: connecting the building with the site's paths, forest and the bucolic Otonabee River; connecting the new construction to the historical precedent of Ronald Thom's magnificent architecture; and, most importantly, connecting the students with each other." The building is comprised of three storeys with a central, indoor plaza rising through the entire height. Key to the design is the centrality and visibility of the event space, which acts as the hub for navigating and accessing all of the facility's spaces and activities, indoor and outdoor. Teeple Architects designed the plaza to have a variety of lounges and study spaces, as well as circulation to the other activities on the ground floor and upper storeys. The flexibility of the indoor plaza also allows for the hosting of concerts and job fairs. Teeple Architects created a central circulation spine composed of stairs, benches, lounges and adjoining study areas that allows students to navigate easily throughout the Centre's three-storey volume. Programmed spaces are comprised of three lecture halls, including a 200-seat tiered theatre and flexible seating classroom, a Starbucks, a rentable event space, the Trent Central Student Association offices and student club spaces. "In some ways the building is like a city in microcosm," says Ion Luh, lighting designer for Crossey Engineering Ltd. Pillar addresses the issue of Teeple being required to reference the classic stylings of Ronald Thom. "The solution was to combine a classic concrete exterior design with lots of glazing, which would also make the most of the river views," he says. "It was a simple approach to what could have been a big problem – and it worked." Development of the Student Centre was remarkably uneventful, save for the regulatory process, due to the facility's proximity to the Otonabee River. "We worked with conservation groups and had to abide by certain setbacks and foundation requirements – but nothing out of the ordinary or anything that delayed our schedule," says Pillar. Ground broke in May of 2015 after a fast-track schedule was worked out, and for Crossey mechanical designer Nick DiDonato, one of the main challenges was to ensure the acoustic integrity of each space in the open air facility. "The sounds from the lecture halls, study areas and other parts of the building had to be isolated, and this dictated the placement of our mechanical systems and required additional soundproofing measures," he says. "We worked closely with an acoustic specialist, used custom-made silencers in many areas and undertook special routing of ductwork – in some cases working around entire rooms." Another challenge was accommodating mechanical and HVAC components in a building with a lot of different ceiling types and shapes. "Concealing and fitting the services along with the architectural elements was essential and required close collaboration with Teeple," says DiDonato. The task facing Luh and her colleagues was "creating a lighting language that would tie all the diverse components of the Student Centre together. We took our inspiration from the shape of the atrium, and all of the lighting patterns and shapes – with LED being the sole type of lighting used – were based on the diagonal." An unusual aspect of the project pertained to the incoming electrical voltage to the facility. "It was 347 volts, which is not LED-friendly," says Luh. "LEDs typically operate on 120 volts, so this limited our choice of fixture providers and also required us to use stepped-down transformers." All involved with the Student Centre are proud of the final result. Teeple Architects Inc. design principal Stephen Teeple calls it, "a key building for the future of Trent" and "deeply rooted in its natural and built environment, yet looks to the future, addressing new ways to think about how students interact and learn." As far as Pillar is concerned, he's grateful the project came to such a successful conclusion. "For 10 years we've been talking about it, but because no government funding exists for student buildings, that's all it was – talk," he says. "But thanks to the incredible initiative exhibited by our student body, the building is now a reality - and a wonderful addition to our campus." A LOCATION 1680 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario OWNER/DEVELOPER Trent University ARCHITECT Teeple Architects Inc. GENERAL CONTRACTOR Aquicon Construction Co. Ltd. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT LEA Consulting Ltd. MECHANICAL/ ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Crossey Engineering Ltd. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Basterfield & Associates Inc. ACOUSTIC CONSULTANT Novus Environmental CIVIL ENGINEER D. M. Wills Associates Ltd. SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANT Zon Engineering Inc. TOTAL SIZE 35,000 square feet TOTAL COST $16 million 9:51 AM

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