ecociao !
RBC Convention Centre | LM Architectural Group , Completed 2016 | A massive expansion of downtown Winnipeg ’ s convention centre posed a design challenge : where to find the space ? The innovative solution was to span York Avenue , creating the centre ’ s now-iconic “ City View Room ,” which holds 4,000 people and is window-lined to give a panoramic view of downtown — including the traffic driving below . But transparency is not just an aesthetic element . The LEED Silver certified building shows off its environmental concern through features like a heat recovery system to heat the building ’ s water , energy-efficient lighting , a hybrid fossil fuel and eclectic heating system , and a computerized system that monitors all engines in the facility and turns them off during non-peak hours . 375 York Ave
Qualico Family Centre | NumberTEN Architecture , Completed 2011 | Rising like a domed hill in verdant Assiniboine Park , the Qualico Family Centre boasts the only green roof with 100 % coverage in Manitoba . Naturally cool , the living roof also absorbs water rather than directing it to the city ’ s storm sewers . The impressive building , which houses the Park Cafe , was made using sustainably managed forest wood and materials with a high recycled content . Even the site vegetation was re-used in the building ’ s flooring , furnishings , retaining walls and planting bed mulch . Signage explaining the design and promoting sustainability inspires visitors — and a gorgeous wall of windows onto the park serves as a reminder of what needs to be preserved . 330 Assiniboine Park Dr
Old Grace Housing Co-op | Prairie Architects , Completed 2019 | Bright and comfortable , this community housing space in Wolseley offers inter-generational and mixed-income housing . Set on the former site of the Old Grace Hospital , the co-op ’ s design is well-integrated into the surrounding neighbourhood , and has more green space allotted than required by zoning laws , giving residents natural areas in which to relax and play . Along with lighting designed to reduce light pollution , efficient energy and water systems , and low VOC (‘ volatile organic compounds ’ which affect air quality ) levels in building materials , the project gave special consideration to some long-time residents : to avoid disrupting the habitat of the chimney swift birds that had made their home in the hospital ’ s chimney stack , a special chimney swift habitat was designed and incorporated . 200 Arlington St
The Arts Residences | NumberTEN Architecture , Completed 2021 | Formerly medical offices , this 50-year-old building got a glow up when Number TEN Architecture converted it to a mixed-use site with 96 residential units , second floor office space , and ground level retail . The adage for architects is that “ the greenest building is the one already built ,” and retrofitting this tower meant lower environmental impact and lower costs — investment that was funneled instead into
outfitting the suites . Along with enjoying industrial-chic features and new , large windows , residents can sleep easy knowing more than 12,000 tonnes of embodied carbon in the building ’ s cast-in-place concrete structural frame — that would have been emitted in the construction of a new tower — isn ’ t going anywhere . 233 Kennedy St
8 ciao ! / may / jun / two thousand twenty-two