May 26, 2009

COURTESY RAIC

The 130 Bloor Street West development in Toronto preserved the modernist features of the building’s existing penthouse.

RAIC honours architectural innovation with 2009 Awards of Excellence

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

staff writer

A modernist-style, luxury condo development in the heart of Toronto has netted Quadrangle Architects Ltd. a 2009 Award of Excellence for innovation in architecture from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC).

The project, which features a heritage-listed, two-storey penthouse, involves a combination of new construction and renovation. One of the challenges was adding onto the top of an existing building while renovating the floors below.

“We wanted to respect the existing penthouse, which is considered a masterpiece of modernism, as well as the existing building, so we used architectural details sympathetic to the building as it currently stands,” said Quadrangle founding principal Brian Curtner.

“We designed the exterior of the new suites in the modernist style to mimic the existing penthouse, with high ceilings and large windows that repeat in the floors above and below.

“Our job was to keep the integrity of the original apartment while integrating it into a new whole.”

The crown jewel in the 130 Bloor Street West development is the updated 10,000-square-foot penthouse apartment, spread across the 13th and 14th floors. It has a 4,000-square-foot terrace.

The lavish penthouse was designed in the 1960s in a classic style and is widely regarded as one of the finest of its kind in Canada. All of the rooms open onto a two-storey, central atrium.

Stacked on top of the penthouse is an asymmetrical tower of six new additional storeys, containing full-floor luxury suites. The two floors below the penthouse, which were previously used for office space, will house four new half-floor residential suites.

The new apartments, which reflect the style of the penthouse suite, are 5,000 and 6,000 square feet in size and feature 11-foot-high ceilings and large terraces.

In addition to 14 condos, the project includes nine floors of office space and one floor of prime retail space.

The project won an innovation in architecture award in the practice of architecture category.

“This project offers important approaches in the practice and process of complex, high-density projects,” the awards jury said, while describing the new condominium units as “impressive.”

Also in the winners’ circle were two projects in British Columbia.

PHOTO COURTESY RAIC

The Prince George Airport project features an innovative building envelope and use of heavy exposed timber in the structure.

•Prince George Airport: Designed by Vancouver’s McFarlane Green Biggar Architecture Design Inc., the project involved expansion of the existing terminal to include a new departure lounge, international arrivals area and security screening area as well as renovations to the existing check-in hall.

The design modernizes the 1970s terminal with a high-performance building envelope and an innovative curtainwall and structure of exposed heavy timber. Durability, sustainability, elegant detailing and cost were all weighed in the decision to develop a simple natural palette for the building.

The jury praised the project as an “innovative example” of art in architecture.

“It uses innovative technology only where it needs to be and creates simple, beautiful surfaces and minimalist detailing.”

ROYAL ARCHITECTURAL INSTITUTE OF CANADA

Richmond Olympic Oval, designed by Vancouver’s Cannon Design, features a structural ceiling that incorporates one million board feet of discarded, pine beetle-killed wood.

•Richmond Olympic Oval: Designed by Vancouver’s Cannon Design, the 506,000-square-foot building will be the speed skating venue for the 2010 Olympic Games but also function subsequently as an international centre of excellence in sports and wellness.

The structural ceiling incorporates 1 million board feet of discarded, pine beetle-killed wood. The ceiling is integrated with composite wood glulam beams which span 100 metres. Mechanical systems in turn are integrated “seamlessly” into the structural systems.

The innovation in architecture award was in the science category.

The Awards of Excellence are bestowed every two years by the RAIC, which represents almost 3,800 architects across the country. Recipients will be recognized during the upcoming Festival of Architecture in Montreal.

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