Posts Tagged ‘Manitoba’

Greening the City

2011/06/30

University of Winnipeg Grand Opening
Panel Discussion

By: Doug Hanna, Partner, M.Arch, MAA, SAA, MRAIC, LEED®AP

There is a wonderful quote from Jonas Salk that said: “If all of the insects were to disappear from the Earth, within 50 years all life on Earth would end.  If all human beings were to disappear from the earth, within 50 years all forms of life would flourish.”

Now from that one might conclude that if we let mosquitoes take over our city that all would be good.  Or maybe, there is something more creative that we can do to preserve our planet and live more sustainably in our cities.

We are dependent on our ecosystems and their functioning for our food, waste, and air.

There is now clear scientific evidence that humanity is living unsustainably, and that an unprecedented collective effort is needed to manage our use of natural resources to be used at a rate at which they can be replenished.

Most people love the natural environment and for many environmentalists there is an unspoken promise for the future in the wilderness.  But to just fight to protect the wilderness while ignoring our cities would be wrong.  No, the most important step for our environment is to fix the places that we live – and for most of us that is the City.

For me, as an Architect, “Greening our Cities” does not necessarily mean creating more park space and green roofs – though those are certainly viable strategies for greening our cities.  Rather I am interested in how we can find ways to create buildings that have a lighter ecological footprint.  After all, buildings have lifespan of 50-100 years, throughout which they continually consume energy, water, and natural resources and generate significant CO2 emissions – the biggest contributor to climate change.

And what better place to practice environmental stewardship than a University Laboratory Building?  Lab buildings generally use 5 times the energy of a typical office building – and environmental stewardship crosses the boundaries of architecture and science.

The sustainable approaches to this site started well before construction commenced when 4-5 homes that needed to be removed from the site were saved from demolition, donated to charitable neighborhood housing associations and relocated to infill sites within the West End community.   When the Winnipeg Roller Rink that stood on this site for nearly a century was demolished, the wood floor was carefully dismantled and stored to be used later as the feature wall of the atrium.

In the actual design of the building the green strategies focused primarily on natural daylighting, energy efficient lighting, and innovative lab systems and operations.

In order to maximize and control daylight, we used narrow floor plates to drive daylight deep into floor spaces and reduce the use of artificial lighting and lower energy use.  The central atrium skylights and upper clerestory bring daylight into the atrium and to internal labs and offices while creating a venue for collaboration. Solar gain is controlled with a transluscent white ceramic coating on the glass applied in a pattern that graphically represents the periodic table and celebrates the building’s role as an institution of scientific education and research.

Occupancy Sensors are used in combination with Energy Efficient Lighting throughout the building.  The occupancy sensors reduce energy consumption by automatically switching lights off when rooms are not occupied.  Light fixtures in the Atrium are automatically switched off by an array of daylight sensors when daylight levels are sufficient to light the space. And the complex is lit with energy efficient light sources such as indirect lighting, and T5 lamps.

The lab systems implement some unique technologies targeted at making this one of the most energy efficient lab buildings in North America.  These include:

  • A heat wheel recovering 80% of the energy from lab exhaust air.
  • Red, Yellow, Green light ventilation rates in labs based on occupancy and usage.
  • High efficiency fumehoods and ventilated benches using 25% less air than traditional fumehoods.
  • High Efficiency Boilers that minimize the amount of fossil fuel consumed and the amount of greenhouse gases produced.

But I think that the moment when I truly understood the importance and relevance of this building in Greening the City was when I was in Boston attending the Green Build Conference in 2008.  And ironically it was not a talk from an Architect or a Builder that created this ‘AHA’ moment, but rather a presentation from Paul Anastas from Yale University who is known as the “Father of Green Chemistry”.

He talked about how we have our hearts in right place but have been doing the right things wrong.  He cited how we have:

  • Created Biofuels out of food crops
  • Purified water with lethal chemicals
  • Developed photovoltaics that contain rare toxic chemicals
  • Made food crops more efficient with harmful pesticides

And that what we really need to do is to move toward doing the right things right and take into account that Energy, climate, water, toxens, and biodiversity are all inter-related.

It was then that I understood the big picture that this building represented and that it is not just a green building on its own that will change our cities.  But it is the combination of a lab building that sets an example of how to be more sustainable – with the scientific research and public policy research that will take place inside these walls – that will encourage real change and the Greening of our Cities.

Robert F. Kennedy said “Some see things as they are, and ask why. I see things as they should be and ask why not.”   Lloyd Axworthy and the University of Winnipeg asked “why not” and here we are today.

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2011/03/15

The Creation of Value
Through Art and Architecture

By: Vasili Mattheos, Architect
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“The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.
All art is quite useless.”     – Oscar Wilde
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Art was probably invented a long time ago by ancient humans who had nothing better to do.  One day, at least one person from this group was done looking for food, clothing him or herself, and creating shelter.  Tired of having nothing to do, this person, possibly a child, decided to make something for the sake of making it.  Some of the others might have joined in.  Then the thing was created.  The group probably stared at the created thing, and probably scratched their heads, thinking about it.  Some of them probably liked it.  They might have even carried it around or kept it in a special place for a while.  Art was probably born that day.

Indeed all art is quite useless.  Pure art does no physical work.  Art does not assist us in completing tasks that might help us in our survival.  Art does not feed us, nor does it power any of our devices.  It does not solve equations, nor does it conserve energy.  Art does not provide security, either.  It certainly does not make us more time-efficient; in fact, it often seems like the end result of much time wasting.

Not only does art not work, but it requires an artist’s work, and time, to be brought into existence.  Once created, it requires further work, thought, and time to be appreciated.  Art, one might say, is not only useless, but a waste of time and energy that could be applied to more productive endeavors.

But despite not physically doing anything while consuming time and energy, art has always been valuable to the human species, as it delights our senses, thoughts, and emotions.  Once admired and appreciated, the time, skill, and energy put into some works might not only delight, but may also astound.  In this case, the artistic process and end product feel, and therefore become, “worth-while.”  That feeling of worth might even grow enough to make a piece of art feel precious, and eventually, over time, some works transcend to “priceless.”  So one might say that art not only generates delight, but that in doing so, generates value.  That value, stored in the artwork, appreciates in worth over time.

Architecture can be said to be an applied art, and to some, it has been called the highest form of Art. Truly great architecture takes sculpture to the human, and urban scale, creating form out of space.  An architect, at his/her greatest, is a master artist whose tools are not chisels and brushes, but cranes, bulldozers, and many, many human hands and minds.  The greatest works of architecture from our history have sometimes even outlasted the civilizations that built them – precisely because they have become so valuable to us.

But at the building scale, an Architect must also be an agent of the public, an accountant, and a diplomat.  Too much is at stake to only consider beauty in design – but too much is also at stake to ignore it.  Part of the art of architecture is figuring out how much art the architect can put into a building, delicately maneuvering around the forces within a project that might oppose art for its own sake.  The architect who values beauty above all else is often bedeviled by situations where the most valuable aspects of his/her work might be seen as ‘useless,’ needlessly expensive, and downright wasteful – often judged this way by the very people who will reap the greatest benefit from the future value of that work.  All too often, newly completed works of architecture are initially reviled for their boldness, only to the cherished for that very boldness generations later.  Many, many, more works are killed on the drawing boards, before they have a chance to be built, appreciated, and to appreciate in value, over time.

So, with architecture, a new art within the art emerges: how to create value through beauty, with other people’s resources – which may be limited, under their direction, in a convincing enough way that the project will be constructed, and in a thoughtful enough way that the project will create value for its owners, users, neighbours, and perhaps even civilization, into the future.

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Petrify the Exchange District?

2011/01/14
By: Stacy Dyck M.Arch., LEED AP, MRAIC

 

The City of Winnipeg cares about the future of Winnipeg’s Exchange District. That is a fact.

Recent press related to the insertion of contemporary design into the Exchange has sparked discussion over the future of the City’s historic gem. Positive or negative, the press surrounding the opening of the Cube in Old Market square has increased historic awareness in the City.

The truth is that the buildings of the Exchange District have fallen into disrepair. Mortar has crumbed and the intricate detailing that characterizes the historic giants of the warehouse district have begun to fade away as a result of years of deferred maintenance and apathy in times when the area was not desirable to start a business or live.

This fact may seem unfortunate, however, for the Exchange District it is a blessing in disguise. Winnipeg’s Exchange District remained untouched due to the slow economic development of Winnipeg during a period when other cities were demolishing similar historic developments to make room for new construction.  Better untouched, and falling into disrepair, than non-existent. In recent years, the value of such a collection of buildings has been realized and the City’s perspective of the Exchange District has slowly come around.

Today, there is a breath of new life stirring in the area. The on-going success of The Forks, CanWest (now Shaw) Ball Park, Red River Community College and the budding businesses of the Waterfront condominiums has brought energy in numbers to the area that the Exchange District hasn’t seen for decades. In particular, the small but growing population of urban residents makes the well-rounded development of amenities in the area possible. The outlook for the Exchange District is positive. Now, what to do with the historic structures?

For the historic community, new development in the Exchange brings to question the ability of the design, construction and business communities to care for, and work with, the historic building stock. The construction industry has changed drastically since the buildings were constructed. Building envelopes and systems have changed significantly which has left a gap in the skill sets required to work with these historic buildings. On-going debate over the parameters for integration of contemporary design within a historic context strikes fear in building owners when the term “historic designation’ is raised.  Where a sense of pride in owning a significant building should be, misconceptions of increased costs for repair and a lack of design flexibility occur instead.

There are many factors that influence the successful preservation of historically significant neighbourhoods. Rapid economic growth is a key factor.  It seems the monetary driver of development, which has the potential to demolish landmarks of the past to pave the way for new developments, may also benefit from the powerful tourist draw of successfully preserved historic neighbourhoods. Often in opposition, both economic development and historic preservation initiatives may find allies in one another in Winnipeg’s Exchange District. Several powerful factors align, as the warehouse district embraces its potential transformation:

  • A unique, concentrated stock of historic buildings
  • Increased residential population
  • Introduction of a multitude of business ventures
  • Increased public awareness of Winnipeg’s historic wealth (particularly in light of events like Winnipeg’s successful Doors Open event held annually)
  • Close proximity of existing cultural attractions such as the Concert Hall, Manitoba Museum, MTS Centre, Old Market Square, the list is exhaustive
  • Finally, the anticipated tourist draw of the soon to be opened Human Rights Museum

All participants desire the successful redevelopment of the Exchange District.

The key is cooperation.  Will Winnipeg’s urban adaptation in the Warehouse District be described as a preservation success?

 

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School Design for an Ever-changing World

2010/08/12

 

Douglas Park School Exterior

By Greg Hasiuk, MAA, SAA, MRAIC, LEED®AP
Partner, Number TEN Architectural Group

Technology is no longer a curious and separate aspect of our lives; it is now part of us. It is as fluid as a conversation, and as complex as our relationships. Buildings are only part of the equation for meeting the educational needs of children if they are to succeed in our exponentially changing times. 

As Thomas Friedman tells us, the world truly is flat. Asia’s fast growing population, rise in wealth, and increasing access to education and technology has created a genuinely global world. Traditional careers in western society that generated wealth and stature are no longer guaranteed to do so.  “Information Age” careers such as accounting, law, engineering and even medicine are now being challenged by a cheaper workforce from across the globe. China will soon be the largest English-speaking country in the world, with India not far behind. New skills are needed for our children to succeed, and they need to be taught and inspired in our schools. 

In his book A Whole New Mind, Daniel Pink tells us that we have entered the “Creative Age”, and that thinking from the right side of the brain is the key to realizing these new skills. Like never before, students must learn to think about the big picture, to see trends and understand the world around them. Future success will depend on one’s ability to artfully express ideas and understand the means to tap into peoples’ emotions with empathy and passion. In today’s world, it is not enough to have a good idea or a highly practical product; successful ideas and products are the ones that provide meaning to people, and that identify a way to stand out from the world of plenty. Children are doing this already, on their own. 

Social networking sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter give students a chance to express their opinions, and build their own personal “brand” by posting images, videos, and writing that reinforces their point of view to the world.  Video games allow individuals to customize their “avatars” (a character that represents yourself). Virtual digital worlds such as Second Life provide opportunities for learning, commerce and recreation. A large and active educational community with hundreds of K-12 and higher education members is engaged in Second Life. The Open University, Harvard, Texas State, and Stanford are just a few of the many universities that have set up virtual campuses where students can meet, attend classes, and create content together. Second Life has also proven a valuable professional development medium for educators. 

It is now possible to share an idea with millions of people, and to receive a good idea from a million places in exponential ways. An example of this is a simple PowerPoint slideshow1 made by Karl Fisch.  Fisch is a high school teacher in Colorado who wanted to inspire his staff with a thought-provoking presentation on the ever-changing world.; it was later remixed with music and video, and eventually made it to YouTube, where it has now been viewed by more than nine million people around the world.  Some of the facts in his presentation are: 

  • According to former Secretary of Education Richard Riley, the top 10 in-demand jobs in 2010 didn’t exist in 2004.
  • We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist, using technologies that haven’t been invented, in order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet.
  • The number of text messages sent and received every day exceeds the population of the planet.
  • There are about 540,000 words in the English language–about five times as many words than during Shakespeare’s time.
  • It’s estimated that a week’s worth of New York Times contain more information than a person was likely to come across in a lifetime in the 18th century.
  • It’s estimated that 40 exabytes (that’s 4.0 x 1019) of unique, new information will be generated worldwide this year. That’s estimated to be more than in the previous 5,000 years.
  • The amount of new technical information is doubling every two years.
  • Predictions are that by 2013, a supercomputer will be built that exceeds the computation capability of the human brain. By 2023, this supercomputer will cost $1,000.

So, considering all of the uncertainty about our future, how should we design our schools today? 

It goes without saying that schools should provide plentiful natural daylight, fresh air, access to views and non-toxic materials; these are proven ways to improve student learning outcomes. But just as importantly, good school design removes obstacles for students and staff to collaborate, share, connect and innovate. High-performance schools are integrated into their communities and provide flexible learning environments, multi-use community activity and effortless access to the digital sea of information. 

Exemplary schools provide teachers with a workplace that supports cross-disciplinary and peer-to-peer collaboration. Teachers that build on each others’ strengths will be better able to help guide young minds through an ocean of information.  

It is also important to create flexible and interconnected spaces that give educators the ability to customize their teaching approach to suit the individual. This can be done by including small, shared break-out rooms that are available for teachers to use as “quiet” rooms for individual work, “project” rooms for small team work, or “resource” rooms for a variety of activities. Proper furniture selection, adequate lighting levels, proper lecture and presentation locations, and easy access to technology are all important factors in effective learning spaces.  

  • Incorporate student work into the classroom and provide opportunities for display
  • Create learning environments that encourage a sense of ownership, pride, and responsibility.  Give students and staff the opportunity to personalize their respective spaces.
  • Make technology accessible, seamless and integrated.
  • Create welcoming, integrated spaces that connect students to their school. Foster a deep, personal connection outside of the classroom with the school and staff, such that life-long memories are positive and contribute to the student’s overall well-being.

Douglas Park School Main Floor

A “Creative Age” school provides active places for students to meet, interact and build a sense of community within their school. For the same reasons that people still line up at big-screen movie theatres, schools should provide students a place of social interaction, digital interaction and intellectual stimulation—experiences they can’t get at home, alone, in front of their computer screen and cell phone. 

The Randy Bachman Student Commons at West Kildonan Collegiate - Winnipeg Manitoba

Arviat School 'Kiva' or Gathering Place - Arviat Nunavut

Footnote:
1http://thefischbowl.blogspot.co  and  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY&feature=fvw 
Douglas Park School: In association with Fielding Nair International

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Remains

2010/07/01

Coming from rural southern Manitoba, it’s easy to think that we don’t have any “architectural heritage” to look to for inspiration. However, our prairie landscape is rich with remnants that tell the story of our ancestor’s. In my case, it’s the story of people who embraced their community and who were very intentional about how they carried on the traditions of the place they came from.

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I have recently re-discovered the beauty of a small Mennonite village about 100km south of Winnipeg called Neubergthal. This is the place where my Great-Grandfather (and others) first settled in Manitoba. The single street is lined with 100 foot tall cottonwood poplars (which were planted from seeds that were brought over from Russia). The village has one of the largest collections of House-barns (that are still standing) in the prairies. These are a unique form of residential/agricultural architecture with roots in northern Germany and Prussia.

It’s really exiting (if that’s the right word for it) to find a place where you can really see how the settler’s beliefs about the community are expressed in what is left of their buildings. I’ve been struck by the simplicity of form, and the “practicality” of the designs. (It’s sort of the “form-follows-function” thing, but I suppose it just happened that way.)  One of my favourite parts about exploring these old buildings is all the things I’ve found which were made by hand. Things like the mortise and tenon joinery in the barn beams, or the hand painted “rugs” on the living room floor really provide a connection between me and the people who made them.

– Michael Hiebert

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