The core inspiration for the Northwest Campus project was the Edmonton Police Service’s (EPS) decision to integrate, for the first time, previously dispersed functions in a single, community-focused facility. The intent of the design was both to provide EPS with the infrastructure it needs to deliver its mission and to physically express and advance the core values of EPS – integrity, accountability, respect, innovation, courage and community. The building’s dynamic, organic form and spatially interconnected organization capitalize on an unprecedented opportunity to infrastructurally support EPS in building strong relationships among previously disparate internal functions, while creating a dynamic yet welcoming and secure interface with the wider community.
The building is located on the northwest edge of Edmonton, Canada, adjacent a ring highway encircling the city. The facility was conceived as a civic focal point, physically expressing EPS’s forward-thinking values by creating positive relationships within a new community and shaping connections beyond. The architecture creates a transparent and welcoming public front, a dynamic gateway into the city from the north, an animated streetface for new public roads, and a visible relationship to the adjacent highway and city beyond. In contrast to the typical North American siting of police buildings behind large parking lots, the building mass was shifted toward the street, creating an urban and accessible frontage while allowing the building to integrally frame a large secure court.
Both environmental and social sustainability were foundational drivers of the design. Geared toward energy efficiency in a cold climate, the building is detailed with a high-performance rainscreen assembly featuring continuous outboard insulation and a distinctive standing seam metal cladding on thermally broken clips. High-performance curtain wall and HVAC systems complement the envelope strategy. Maximizing the facility’s beneficial impact on the wellbeing of both EPS’ members and recruits as well as members of the community required careful and creative spacing planning to create bright and welcoming spaces while balancing rigorous security requirements.
View Original