The Victoria Park Pavilion places the individual in the setting to enjoy the park. The objective is to create three "inside - outside" public spaces tucked behind a protective wall of trees. Each of the three gathering spaces is part of and connected to its own outdoor quadrant, and each can be combined or separated to allow for complete flexibility of usage depending on the season and needs.
The west quadrant for meetings is intimate, treed, and protected from the glare of the west sun while allowing filtered light. The natural landscape is the focus. The contemplative deck area is provided for retreat and breakout.
The south quadrant for skate changing opens to the south through an aperture in the trees and directly connects to the skate and park. This space is about south sun, microclimate, and access to the outdoor focused activities. Outdoor group seating around a gas fire pit and connection to the ice are the focus. Multiple exits through vestibules for cold weather or sliding glass panel walls for more temperate times address the outdoor connection.
The east quadrant for training is protected as a treed court. The privacy afforded by the trees complements the privacy of those training indoors and out. This space is at the furthest distance from the front door, making it the most private.
SUSTAINABILITY
LEED® Silver is assumed to be the baseline for the project. Sustainable elements include the following highlights:
The site. The mature coniferous trees blocking direct solar access has its positive side. Since direct sun complicates the comfortable use of public indoor meeting spaces, the design objective is to create public space that allows one to feel like they are sitting outside under a large shade tree in a setting of retreat. The trees become a fundamental extension of the facility as the natural element that is celebrated; they complete the quadrants. The trees veil the building from public view and provide controlled view to the larger expanses of the park. The focus on the well-being of the user - to experience the peace of being in the park - make the glass pavilion a worthy choice. While glass pavilions typically struggle with cold, heat and glare, the positioning of the building contributes to resolve the latter two issues, and heat loss is mitigated with performance glazing coupled with mechanical systems that provide draft-free radiant heat.
Agility and life cycle. These items comprise a most important sustainable concept. A flexible building that can adapt to a host of functions today and in the future will remain relevant. Hence, the focus on the spaces will allow for variety of uses.
The training space is on the private side of the building. It is combined with a training equipment area and circulation area to form a total space that can be separated as one unit separate from the rest of the building to the west. The three support blocks on the north side can be built as necessary and entered individually. They protect the north side of the building with limited glazing and high insulation-value walls. Multiple entry points allow multiple users to access the building independent of other uses. The washrooms can be used by park users without entering the building. The kitchen area is placed opposite the skate change area. The skate change area is intended to be open to the corridor with the meeting and training areas able to function separately. Equipment and shop areas have independent entries.
The life cycle or durability and practicality of materials are key considerations. The floors and walls are either concrete or glass. Wood is used extensively in the roof structure and columns. Protection of columns at lower elevations from moisture and physical abuse is intended to be part of the expression of the base. Wood has been much ignored as impractical, but in recent years, improvements in practice and protection have allowed the qualities of wood to be celebrated in public infrastructure.
Mutable wall/ Glass art wall/ Movable wall panels/ Exterior court yards.
a) The three courtyards are delineated by translucent pockets that contain large moving wall panels. They create microclimates that protect from wind, reflect light for greater solar gain, and aid in outdoor acoustics.
b) The moving walls allow for the interior space to become one hall or remain as three separate destinations.
c) The moving wall panels are art pieces that combine translucent and transparent glazing that will overlap with the pocket glazing to result in multiple lighting effects depending of the position of the wall.
d) The three movable walls are the art pieces that fulfill the1% art requirement of the City of Edmonton. They will provide the colour in the building.
Competent envelope. High insulation values in the north-facing solid walls and roofs, combined with high-performance, low-E triple glazing, provide for an efficient envelope.
Efficient mechanical systems. The thermal mass of the concrete floor is combined with a radiant heating and displacement ventilation system (supplied through large perimeter in-floor air ducts with low velocity fans) to focus on maintaining consistent temperature and comfort at the occupant level. High-efficiency condensing boilers that provide the heat and hot water could be augmented with waste heat from a recommended small section of cooling loops needed to ensure the skating area immediately outside the building functions well. Quality of air is provided through a 100% outside air system with heat recovery system; this is supplemented with natural cooling through fresh air in the summer.
Health.
a) 100 % daylighting eliminates daytime use of lights; the use of clearstory windows and light shelves manage the daylight. Smart systems automate artificial light which will be used only at night and when occupied. The treed setting in combination with architectural shading features eliminate the need for window coverings.
b) Natural ventilation eliminates air conditioning in the summer. This is achieved with high ceilings and automated awning windows on the north and south clearstory. The support blocks have manually operated venting clearstory windows.
c) Materials to be used promote air quality and support sustainable practices. The roof and column structures are wood. Wood from sustainable sources is renewable and has a low carbon footprint. Warmth (of wood structural columns and beams) and transparency are the dominant architectural palette.
SUMMARY
Site and Access
The building is accessed by the existing pedestrian path leading from the parking lot. This pathway should be upgraded to limit vehicular traffic to emergency and service access with a focus on protecting the setting around the building. This short stroll through the trees is intersected by the building axis which guides one to the facility. This axis, which runs through the building, is set at 15 degrees to the southeast. This is similar to existing facilities, but more importantly, aligns with the trees and focuses toward the dominant easterly side of the skate area. The offset angle of the south wall is due south. The building fits precisely within the defined envelop on the east and west boundaries with room to spare to the north. Upon entering the facility, its setting becomes apparent and engaging.
1% Art Requirement
The three glass movable walls and pockets are highly visible features that will have a dynamic
component providing for interest. The design will be in collaboration with the selected artist,
with the architectural team providing technical assistance.
(From competitor's text)
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