Limberlost Place gears up for WAF award presentation
A mass-timber building at Toronto’s George Brown College is attracting global attention.
Currently under construction at the college’s Waterfront campus, the landmark, tall wood, low-carbon building has been shortlisted for a 2022 World Architecture Festival (WAF) award in the Future Project: Education category. This is in addition to its earning a special WAFX award earlier in the summer.
Designed by Toronto’s Moriyama & Teshima Architects in a joint venture with Acton Ostry Architects of Vancouver, the 225,000-square foot, net-zero Limberlost Place will feature ecological innovation across its entire life cycle. In addition, all of its mass-wood components have been sourced from across Canada.
As the first tall wood building in Ontario, the design provides generous spaces focused on wellbeing and sustainability. The building form and façade will be shaped to maximize access to natural light and fresh air. Two solar chimneys located on the east and west facades will be used to create a sustainable system of natural convection, drawing air up and through the building from operable windows.
A lean design process aided the development of the assembly sequence for the floor, roof and envelope elements. This has allowed for consistent specialist input based on a standardized project model and workflow, in addition to facility management planning, which was developed with extensive client input.
The large-span, beamless structure will enable walls to expand and contract, providing flexibility of sizes for a variety of learning spaces. The angled apex of the Tall Wood Institute will speak to future advancements of tall wood technologies as well as the development of net-positive and low carbon building methodologies. The outer bars will house classrooms, labs, and administrative offices that look outward towards the Water’s Edge Promenade, Sherbourne Common, and the upcoming School of Design.
Limberlost Place is the first building of its type to be built in Canada. The approvals process for this one-of-a-kind endeavour was complicated by constructing on the prominent East Bayside Community in Toronto. The architectural team utilized fly-throughs, 3-D models and numerous meetings with the Jurisdiction Authorities. One very positive outcome of this high-level of engagement on the process was the research and academic papers that have arisen henceforth, contributing to long-term research and understanding of mass timber systems.
The WAF is one of the world’s largest architecture festivals, with awards dedicated to celebrating excellence in the field. Representatives from each of the 20 shortlisted finalists will present live onstage at WAF in Lisbon from November 30 to December 2, where a sole 2022 award winner will be announced.
“Our entire design team is grateful for George Brown College’s vision and commitment to realize this first-of its-kind in the world, tall, exposed mass timber, net-zero carbon emission building, and we are thrilled to have been recognized by the WAF awards program,” said Carol Phillips of Moriyama & Teshima Architects. “We look forward to presenting our scheme to the jurors in December.”
The WAFX Award celebrates international proposals which embrace cutting-edge design approaches to address major world issues ranging from tackling the climate emergency to building community resilience.