David Dunlap Observatory & Administration Building
The David Dunlap Observatory (DDO), one of Richmond Hill’s most iconic buildings and the largest telescope in Canada, was recently restored and revitalized by +VG to better serve the many patrons that visit these buildings every year.
The Observatory and the Administration Building were constructed circa 1935 and were owned and operated by the University of Toronto until 2008. Work included a Building Condition Assessment and restoration of the exteriors of both the Observatory and the Administration Building.
Upon completion of the revitalization of these buildings, the DDO had many important heritage elements restored to continue to provide public education and outreach, and play a key part in the transformation of the park into a major destination that will serve the residents of Richmond Hill and attract visitors from across the GTA. The goal of the project was to shape the way people experience David Dunlap Observatory Park, preserve a proud part of Canada’s astronomical research heritage, and to make this star of the City shine bright once again.
DESIGNATED
LOCATION
Richmond Hill, Ontario
CLIENT
City of Richmond Hill
COMPLETED
2021
SIZE
21,000 ft²
SERVICES
Building Condition Assessment & Renovation
AWARDS
2022 Award of Excellence, Conservation – Materials, Craftsmanship & Construction
Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP)
Old Don Jail (Bridgepoint Health Administration Centre)
The Old Don Jail (c. 1864) is a 3.5 storey buff brick and Berea sandstone Renaissance Revival building founded on a rusticated Queenston limestone base.
The main entrance of the central block is placed on an elaborate surround with a bracketed entablature supported on a pair of Doric columns with vermiculated bands. This central block is flanked by bricked wings. The rehabilitation project includes the conservation of significant interior and exterior heritage features while adaptively re-using the building for Bridgepoint Health offices and administrative work. The Old Don Jail is a provincially and municipally designated heritage building with easement agreements recognizing the existing heritage character-defining features.
This project was a modernization of a “smart” building for a contemporary hospital administration within a historic building and historic landscape. Management of multiple stakeholders was a major element of this project. Stakeholders included hospital administration, the Toronto Heritage Preservation Board, the Ontario Heritage Trust, and specific community interest groups. Other common elements include integrating contemporary design strategies within a very rigid jail structure with the purpose of wholesale transformation into wide open multi-purpose public spaces that act as community hubs for the health community of bridgepoint. As part of the rehabilitation project, +VG produced heritage conservation and interpretation plans approved by the Ontario Heritage Trust and the City of Toronto’s Heritage Preservation Services, detailed drawings and specifications for the exterior restoration and interior adaptive re-use, and extensive documentation of heritage character-defining features in-situ, including elements to be removed/salvaged/preserved/restored.
LOCATION
Toronto, Ontario
CLIENT
Bridgepoint Health
COMPLETED
2013
SIZE
77,000 ft²
SERVICES
Retrofit/Adaptive Re-Use
AWARDS
2016 Governor General’s Medal in Architecture,
Governor General’s Awards
2016 William Greer Award of Excellence,
Heritage Toronto Awards
2014 Cornerstone Award,
Heritage Canada
2014 Best Commercial or Institutional Building of 2014,
The People’s Choice Awards for Architecture
2014 Paul Oberman Award for Adaptive Reuse & Heritage Restoration,
The People’s Choice Awards for Architecture
2014 Award of Excellence,
Canadian Architect Magazine
2014 “Best of the Best Award”,
Toronto Construction Association
King Township New Municipal Administration Centre
King Township has outgrown its existing facility and has purchased a surplus school from the local school board for repurposing into an Administration Centre.
In Spring of 2016 the Township of King retained +VG Architects to undertake the design and Construction of their new Municipal Administration Centre. The scope of this project was based on the Strategic Space Needs Assessment, also completed by +VG in 2015.
As part of this project, three options were developed at the concept design stage which included existing Building Condition Assessment and comparison costing for each option. The result of this high level investigation was a fundamental decision to proceed with a new administration building on the school site.
The building design incorporates many green initiatives like geothermal mechanical systems and enhanced sustainable site strategies, and is anticipated to meet either LEED Silver or Gold level certification.
LOCATION
King City, Ontario
CLIENT
Township of King
COMPLETED
2019 (February)
SIZE
46,300 ft²
SERVICES
New Construction
AWARDS
2020 Institutional Wood Design Award
Canadian Wood Council
New Tecumseth Municipal Offices
The Town of New Tecumseth continues to expand, placing pressure on the existing Town offices.
In 2016, the Town purchased a surplus elementary school in the centre of Alliston to convert to a new civic centre. +VG was retained as the architect to undertake a Condition Assessment and Feasibility Study for an adaptive re-use of the existing school. The study found that the ideal solution was to retain a major part of the building, to accommodate municipal offices, council chambers and meeting rooms. The existing gymnasium has been repurposed to accommodate the Council Chamber with a glassy addition, to create an open, airy, public space or “Community Hub”.
LOCATION
Alliston, Ontario
CLIENT
Town of New Tecumseth
COMPLETED
2019
SIZE
44,350 ft²
SERVICES
Retrofit of Alliston Public School
Milton Hydro Utility Operations Centre
Completed in 2016, this Operations Centre project involved conversion of a former manufacturing facility into new office headquarters for Milton Hydro Distribution. The headquarters consolidated Utilities staff from multiple locations.
The functionality of the building was designed with employees in mind. +VG provided contemporary office design including flexible office spaces and furnishings that provide employees with a safe, healthy and fully accessible environment. Program space included specialized offices, as well as a 59,000 ft² warehouse/garage (which can also be used as a post-disaster facility) and HazMat storage.
Designed with future expansion in mind, the new offices are technologically smart and include innovative energy management and LEED design principles. The new facility is eco-friendly with a low operating cost.
+VG was responsible for planning, design and implementation, as well as FF&E management. The project involved collaborative design leadership as well as presentations to Council, senior management and staff. +VG interfaced with Project Management, and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (including securing all municipal and regional permits). The project was completed using Fast-Track scheduling without disrupting ongoing office functions.
LOCATION
Milton, Ontario
CLIENT
Milton Hydro Distribution
COMPLETED
2016
SIZE
59,000 ft²
SERVICES
Renovation
Grey County Administration Centre
Grey County had identified the need to review its facility requirements as a result of growth needs of the community, a desire to create consistency in space, and to develop a team that promotes better working environments and more effective community service.
The County engaged +VG Architects to provide a documented, definitive Space and Programme Analysis and Master Planning for the Administration Centre and the adjacent POA Courts building. A clear space needs programme for growth was developed with the detailed input of County stakeholders and staff, based on County criteria:
- Space Planning and Functional Plan
- High Level Functional Design and Programming
- Flexibility through good design for the future
- Layouts of furnishing for spaces designed and integrated to allow for optional functionality, privacy and security
- Smart Workspace Design / Collaborative Workspaces
- High quality and healthy atmospheric environment / enhanced daylighting and air circulation
- Easily expandable without disturbing the existing operation
- Implementation of Advanced Technologies
- Sustainable Design / low operation and maintenance costs through the use of quality materials and systems
The Study culminated in a Master Plan for development of the site and its buildings. Strategies were examined, for making existing space more functional, improve circulation and visibility, and to make the buildings more attractive and community friendly. The Report gave Council confidence to proceed to implementation. +VG Architects were hired to implement the plan and construction is now complete.
LOCATION
Owen Sound, Ontario
CLIENT
County of Grey
COMPLETED
2016
SIZE
50,000 ft²
SERVICES
Renovation
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Education Centre
Hamilton-Wentworth DSB is consolidating all facilities that deliver non-instructional programs and services to a New Education Centre.
The Board currently has its departments and services spread throughout four facilities with its main office downtown and other programs like warehouse/workshop, computer services and other administrative staff spread throughout three schools. Two major benefits to this consolidation are overall area reduction and operational efficiency.
+VG assisted the Board in an extensive evaluation of a number of potential sites for the New Education Centre. We professionally assessed 18 sites. The objective was to identify viable sites available for purchase that did not have limitations that compromised program needs.
+VG worked closely with Board personnel to confirm the number of departments/services, support spaces, population of staff per department, types and number of workstations, and offices. Common areas and outdoor areas such as parking, loading, and open space were defined.
+VG gained a clear understanding of direct and indirect relationships (adjacencies) of department to department, public areas, staff areas, meeting areas, storage areas, etc.. General concepts of open office areas vs. private office areas, multi-functional spaces, multi-use meeting areas, consolidated storage areas, views, and natural light were determined.
+VG met directly with all Board User Groups and retrieved very specific information with respect to the inner workings of each department. An understanding of inter-relationship requirements produced efficient and effective building and operations planning for the new Centre.
Cost estimates were prepared by the Board’s Cost Consultant, based on detailed functional program/space program and block schematic design building plans prepared by +VG. Concept site plans were also prepared by +VG. The design phase is currently underway, on schedule.
LOCATION
Hamilton, Ontario
CLIENT
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board
COMPLETED
2015
SIZE
115,700 ft²
SERVICES
New Construction
Hamilton City Hall
Hamilton City Hall was designed in the modernist International Style by Canada’s first municipally-employed architect, Stanley M. Roscoe.
Constructed in 1960, it has become one of the few intact examples of this style of architecture in Canada, and exemplifies a progressive movement away from the Victorian historicism of Hamilton at the time. Attributes of the International Style found in the design include: massing and geometry, open interior plan, structural grid system and the use of curtain wall, flat roofs, finishing materials of steel, concrete and marble, and the integration of art (as opposed to ornamentation) into the design.
The 2010 heritage rehabilitation of this modernist International Style building included:
- Relocation of services to the main floor to provide greater ease of access for the public
- Improvements to the building’s energy performance by insulating exterior walls, and installation of high efficiency mechanical systems
- Upgrades to meet current OBC requirements including barrier free accessibility
- Replacement of major building services and integration of contemporary technology
Challenges of the Heritage Conservation Plan:
- Integration of new building systems while respecting the heritage building fabric
- Replacement of exterior marble cladding with more durable cladding due to life safety and structural stability concerns caused by deterioration of the original marble in the southern Ontario climate
- Protection and restoration of Italian glass mosaic tile used extensively on exterior soffits, spandrel panels, and fascia, and interior walls and ceilings
- Protection and restoration of terrazzo flooring, interior wood paneling and doors, luminescent stone panels, marble interior paneling, aluminum handrails and guards, and curtain wall
- Conservation of interior art murals including cleaning, protection and relocation of one mural
- Rehabilitation of the Council Chambers with dome skylight
LOCATION
Hamilton, Ontario
CLIENT
City of Hamilton
COMPLETED
2010
SIZE
180,000 ft²
SERVICES
Heritage Consulting Services for Rehabilitation
AWARDS
2012 Toby Award (Office Building of the Year Award, Corporate Facility)
Building Owners & Managers Association (BOMA Toronto)
2011 Award of Merit (Restoration)
City of Hamilton Public Works Department
