Administration Centres

The new EZT Municipal Offices, designed by +VG Architects, are set to be a stunning addition to Hickson, Ontario. This new 13,000 ft² facility is currently under construction and promises to be a state-of-the-art space for the local council and community.

The building will house council chambers, offices, staff workspace, multipurpose meeting rooms, barrier-free accessibility, low-energy mechanical systems, and water-saving measures. One of the most impressive aspects of this new facility is its design, which expresses the future ambitions of community growth while also paying tribute to the past. The building’s form tips its hat to the former railway station that once stood on the site, blending the old and the new to create a modern and timeless structure.

The building design is also cost-effective, making use of suitable materials and building methods to create a space that is not only beautiful but also functional. The result is a practical and aesthetically pleasing building, a perfect reflection of the community it serves.

Inside, the design consists of open, light-filled spaces that create a sense of airiness and freedom. The particular emphasis on the visitor experience and good customer service means that the building is designed to be as welcoming and accessible as possible, with careful attention paid to every detail to ensure visitors feel comfortable and at ease.

The council chambers are a particular highlight of the building, with their large windows and comfortable seating creating a professional and welcoming atmosphere. The multipurpose meeting rooms are also a key feature, providing flexible spaces that can be used for a range of different events and functions.

One of the most critical aspects of the building’s design is its focus on sustainability. The low-energy mechanical systems, water-saving measures and provision for EV charging ensure that the building is as environmentally friendly as possible, using the latest technology to minimize its impact on the planet.

In summary, the new EZT Municipal Offices, designed by +VG Architects, are set to be a stunning addition to the Township of East Zorra-Tavistock. The building’s design expresses the community’s future ambitions while also paying homage to the past. Its focus on sustainability ensures that it will address our shared responsibility of reducing our carbon footprint.

The building is under construction, on time and on budget and is scheduled to be open in September of 2023.

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.

The New Tecumseth Administration Centre is an adaptive reuse of the former Alliston Union Public School in Alliston, Ontario as the new seat of Municipal Government and offices for the Town.

The design repurposes the core structure of the school building while providing new state of the art, energy efficient mechanical, electrical and IT systems. Building envelope was upgraded for improved thermal performance and the addition of new windows enhance interior daylighting while preserving the school’s characteristic brick veneer and precast concrete panel finishes. On the interior, the design makes use of the existing gymnasium long clear spans and height for a new Council Chamber.

A key aspect of the project was to ensure the new facility was equally a space for public gathering and events, as well as a centre for providing administrative services and governance for the Town.

Reorganizing the building and site to reflect this new municipal use was accomplished through a new double height gallery addition as the main ordering element for the building. Public meeting spaces, and the council chamber, along with customer service counters and a new feature stair connecting both levels, are all sequenced off this new addition element. The simple composition of wood and glass, transparency and rhythm, evoke a modern loggia which looks out onto the community plaza and landscaped park space, while managing connections to the primary interior functions of the building.

The project, though its adaptive reuse and this new modern addition, successfully create a new civic precinct for the Town connecting Alliston’s existing curling rink and cenotaph to the north, with the new Administration Centre site, through to park space and community sports fields to the south. The new addition is a standout signature in its urban environment.

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.

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.