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Algonquin College Robert C. Gillett Student Commons
Algonquin College Robert C. Gillett Student Commons
Ottawa, Canada
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Other Projects by Teeple Architects
Algonquin College Robert C. Gillett Student Commons
Ottawa, Canada
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2012
SIZE
100,000 sqft - 300,000 sqft
BUDGET
$10M - 50M
Photos
The 110,000 square-foot Student Commons is intended to act as the heart of Algonquin’s Woodroffe Avenue Campus, anchoring a disparate arrangement of buildings and creating a new focal point for student services, experiential learning and social activity. The building is designed to create a new “Living Room,” for the academic community: a central environment which offers a full range of social and learning experiences and acts as an energetic locus for student gatherings, events, and celebrations. A three-storey student lounge overlooks a new outdoor green space, creating a reciprocal indoor common. Shared views between interior and exterior animate the facility with student activity. The bold formal gesture of an overhanging prow visually welcomes students and visitors from all sides of the campus – marking a key entrance to the college and creating a dramatic overhang.
A sloping and angular facade allows the building to take a form which responds to the surrounding buildings and reinforce an existing pedestrian route. All of the program areas of the new Student Commons building are grouped into an “L” shape overlooking the three-storey, terraced atrium allowing visual connections, intuitive navigation between zones and creating frequent opportunities for student interaction. The atrium’s two-storey glazing gives views to the passersby that both puts the building’s activity on display and provides views out of the building to enhance visibility and place, "eyes on the street." Public and communal gatherings are not the only activities nurtured here: a silent study area on the second storey is an idyllic, naturally-lit environment with generous views to the green space.
The building’s interior supports a larger urban gesture though its programmatic layout. A 700-seat auditorium housed in the Student Commons building shares the design spirit of the lounge/atrium, putting the movement and activity within on display. The rotation of this performance venue off main circulation axis creates an additional space to capture spillover activity before and after major events. The remnants of planned activity may then trickle into both the atrium and out into the adjacent park.
This project was constructed to a LEED® Gold standard, with a particular focus on energy efficiency. Especially important was maximizing the use of natural light, with the majority of spaces enjoying views to the exterior. The building employs an efficient heat pump and heat recovery system to reduce energy consumption. Low-VOC and natural materials are used to create a welcoming work and study environment. The building meets AODA accessibility standards, all the while creating welcoming, comfortable, easy-to-navigate interior and exterior spaces for student learning and socializing.
A sloping and angular facade allows the building to take a form which responds to the surrounding buildings and reinforce an existing pedestrian route. All of the program areas of the new Student Commons building are grouped into an “L” shape overlooking the three-storey, terraced atrium allowing visual connections, intuitive navigation between zones and creating frequent opportunities for student interaction. The atrium’s two-storey glazing gives views to the passersby that both puts the building’s activity on display and provides views out of the building to enhance visibility and place, "eyes on the street." Public and communal gatherings are not the only activities nurtured here: a silent study area on the second storey is an idyllic, naturally-lit environment with generous views to the green space.
The building’s interior supports a larger urban gesture though its programmatic layout. A 700-seat auditorium housed in the Student Commons building shares the design spirit of the lounge/atrium, putting the movement and activity within on display. The rotation of this performance venue off main circulation axis creates an additional space to capture spillover activity before and after major events. The remnants of planned activity may then trickle into both the atrium and out into the adjacent park.
This project was constructed to a LEED® Gold standard, with a particular focus on energy efficiency. Especially important was maximizing the use of natural light, with the majority of spaces enjoying views to the exterior. The building employs an efficient heat pump and heat recovery system to reduce energy consumption. Low-VOC and natural materials are used to create a welcoming work and study environment. The building meets AODA accessibility standards, all the while creating welcoming, comfortable, easy-to-navigate interior and exterior spaces for student learning and socializing.
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