St. Francis of Assisi
Originally designed by Arthur William Homes in 1914, the construction of St. Francis of Assisi was completed in 1915.
Located in the heart of Little Italy, the church accommodates 900 people. The Nave, composed of a sequence of vaulted ceilings, allows daylight to come in through the stained glass windows, generating an array of colours as you navigate the space.
As part of the intervention, a new slate roof was installed and the plaster ceiling was completely restored. The interior paint scheme was restored to a monochromatic paint scheme from 1945 to allow the colours from the stained glass windows to be magnified within the Nave. The decoration intensifies in the Transepts and into the Sanctuary to emphasize the importance of that sacred space and the beauty of the East stained glass window. The entire Sanctuary area was restored to its original design with the reconstruction of the wood reredos screen as the backdrop of the Altar and the removal of the mosaic wall installed in 1972 during a previous intervention that concealed the East wall. The East stained glass window was reinstated to its original glory and two Guido Nincheri frescos were unveiled and restored along with all the East wall artwork. The restoration of the coffered ceiling artwork over the Sanctuary was donated by a parishioner of the Italian community in memory of his late wife, proving this project to be essential to the community and possessing immense value to its parishioners.
LOCATION
Toronto, Ontario
DESIGNATED
Ontario Heritage Listed Building
COMPLETED
2018
SIZE
11,530 ft²
SERVICES
Restoration
St. John's Chapel Atrium, St. Michael's Cathedral
The St. John’s Chapel Atrium is +VG’s contemporary addition to the complex of heritage buildings from different eras, which together, make up the St. Michael’s Cathedral site.
Above grade, the Atrium is a modern multipurpose space, creating a cloister-like link between the 1890s Chapel, the administrative and residential accommodation of the 1845 Rectory, and the early 20th Century Sacristies – the ancillary spaces serving the main worship space of the Cathedral Nave. On the exterior, the palette of materials has been carefully chosen to complement that of the existing buildings and maintain the continuity between the different eras represented on site. The interior is simple and reverent, with fair-faced concrete block, wood and slate providing a backdrop to the conserved west façade of St. John’s Chapel and a stained-glass window, relocated from its original home in the Cathedral’s Narthex, which are highlighted as the main visual features of the space. The west façade opens out through tall glazed doors onto a summer terrace under a glass canopy, creating a transitional space between the Atrium interior and the quiet gardens of the Rectory.
Below grade, the Atrium addition contains a new 3,000 ft² basement housing a state-of-the-art Central Utilities plant, providing modern heating, cooling and power systems which have been discretely distributed and integrated throughout the whole complex. This coordination and integration of services has been a key part of +VG’s work at St. Michael’s Cathedral, maintaining the character-defining qualities of the existing heritage buildings, while providing them with the environmental control and high-tech infrastructure of a modern facility, all of which must have been unthinkable at the time the Cathedral was originally built.
LOCATION
Toronto, Ontario
COMPLETED
2018
SIZE
4,800 ft²
SERVICES
Renovation & Addition
EZT Municipal Offices
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.
LOCATION
Hickson, Ontario
COMPLETED
2023
SIZE
13,000 ft²
SERVICES
New Construction
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
COMPLETED
2019
SIZE
46,300 ft²
SERVICES
New Construction
AWARDS
2020 Institutional Wood Design Award
Canadian Wood Council
PRESS
Ontario recognizes excellence in wood architecture
Construction Canada
Awards honour wood construction across Ontario
Canadian Consulting Engineer
City officials break ground on Kingston East Community Centre
The Whig
True to Form: Greening of King Township Municipal Centre symbolic of sustainable push by +VG Architects
Green Building + Architecture Magazine
Municipal centre pays homage to King Township’s natural heritage
Daily Commercial News
New Tecumseth Municipal Offices
The Town of New Tecumseth continues to expand, placing pressure on the existing Town offices which were built in the 1960’s and no longer support staff and services to the Community.
In 2018, +VG was commissioned to design a new Municipal Administration facility on the site of a surplus elementary school in the centre of Alliston. The design repurposes the core structure of the school building while providing new state of the art, energy efficient mechanical and electrical IT systems. The existing gymnasium has been repurposed to accommodate the Council Chamber with a new glassy addition to create a public lobby and gathering space.
The project successfully creates a new Civic precinct in the Town connecting Alliston’s existing curling rink and cenotaph to the north, with the new Administration Centre site and recreational sports fields to the south. A key aspect to the overall design 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 to the community.
LOCATION
Alliston, Ontario
COMPLETED
2023
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
