DESIGN PROBLEMS ADDRESSED
- To provide a public facility which enhances and celebrates the activities accommodated, increasing participation in those activities and public enjoyment of the Park.
- To meet functional program requirements including potential phasing of spaces for the partner group, in an efficient and sustainable manner.
- To create a building which lends meaning to Victoria Park's historical and physical context.
- To promote access, use and enjoyment of the facility through its approach, siting, organization, flexibility, amenities, spatial qualities, appearance and comfortability.
CONCEPTS ADDRESSING THE DESIGN PROBLEMS
- The largest program spaces - Teaching, Skate Change, and Training - are developed as discrete volumes - "mini-pavilions'" - to provide identity, scale, flexibility, and allow for incremental development. The Training,
Workshop and Zamboni storage spaces requested by the ESSA, are located farthest away from the public entrance point and can be phased in at a future date.
- The Teaching, Skate Change and Training components inter-relate to suggest the historical importance of the North Saskatchewan river situated immediately south: the plan is inspired by the changing formation of logs floating downstream toward the location of the original Fort Edmonton east of the park site. Functions located in between (Office/Kitchen and Workshop) serve the larger functions and physically tie the building together. The shifting wall planes which define the primary spaces also draw an arc in plan, a gesture echoing the repetitive turns of a skater's blades across the long-track rink.
- Orientation and views are to the south open park and activity area, capturing available daylight and inviting use from the primary user approach and River Road. The shifted orientation between each mini pavilion heightens the sense of movement for skaters/park users, frames different views for pavilion occupants, and tracks the movement of the sun from morning to evening.
- Exterior cladding materials echo the hard, silvery horizontality of a skate blade, as well as the pattern of traditional wall construction used at Fort
Edmonton.
DESIGN DESCRIPTION
- Organization - The largest areas are organized linearly facing south, with Skate Change placed between Teaching and ESSA Training rooms. The spaces are accessed from a wide circulation spine on the north side, with the main entrance at the west end and glazed emergency exit at the east end. Utilitarian functions including Bike/skate storage, Public/staff washrooms, Mechanical room and Zamboni storage, are placed along the north side of the spine. Between each of the mini-pavilions are spaces serving them - Office and Kitchen/Concession between Teaching and Skate Change and ESSA Storage/workshop on the other side of Skate Change next to Training.
- Siting - The Skate Change room is located at the approximate location of the current trailers, at the northwest corner of the skating rink. The main entrance to all functions is located on the west side connected to the existing park approach paths. Outdoor decking also brings skaters from the Skate Change pavilion to/from the skating rink, as well joining with the existing pedestrian path from vehicle parking area. Exterior man-doors and glazed overhead doors on the south side of each pavilion provide direct access to the park/skating rink. An entrance placed off the north side is for use of staff and maintenance personnel' arriving by vehicle to the back of the building via the existing road.
- Structure - The roof structure consists of exposed metal open web joists supported on exterior load-bearing masonry walls and steel framing as required. Foundation system will be grade beam on footing or piles, with reinforced concrete floor slab throughout.
- Envelope materials - The mini-pavilions are spatially defined by full-height masonry walls clad with silver-colored horizontal siding to reinforce the symbolism of a skate blade gliding and carving over the ice. The shiny horizontal siding contrasts with the dull sheen of galvanized metal vertical panels which are generally placed elsewhere on the building. The contrast echoes that of contrasting surfaces of the ice as it is passed over by the Zamboni machine. Roofing is modified bitumen membrane with high reflectivity surface. Windows are aluminum frame; the overhead doors are aluminum frame and can be optionally replaced with fixed windows for any of the mini-pavilions, should the flexibility to have unrestricted flow to the exterior not be required.
- Interior Finishes - Teaching, Skate Change qnd Training rooms will have exposed steel roof structure and duct distribution to emphasize spatial volume. The circulation spine, washrooms, kitchen and office will have a drywall ceiling; remaining rooms will have exposed roof structure. Walls throughout are painted exposed masonry. Flooring will be asphalt or other appropriate finish for skates, at Skate Change, circulation spine and washrooms. Floor finish elsewhere is sealed concrete.
- Landscaping - The existing mature trees will remain mostly untouched, with the building and exterior walkways and decks located to avoid their removal or damage. Two south-facing courtyards created by the building will be landscaped with low heritage planting to maintain their openness, provide an alternate scale to the existing mature trees, and recall the history of Victoria Park and surrounding neighbourhoods. The low planting will also be maintained on the perimeter of the building against its west facade along the main entrance path.
- Public Artwork - The proposed location of for exterior freestanding public art is at the southwest corner of the building on either side of the access path where it approaches the main (west side) entrance. If the artwork is graphic, requiring a large wall area, the west facade below the line of continuous horizontal windows is also available to mount it on. Both locations will receive the maximum exposure to public view. Alternatively, the large expanses of wall in the Skate Change room can also be used for providing significant exposure.
- Sustainability - For efficiency and controllability, the mechanical system will provide zoned control for heating and ventilating each major functional space. Each system will have an air by-pass to relieve the excess air when zones are not calling for conditioned air. Heating equipment will consist of high-efficiency boiler, rooftop heat recovery units and force flow units, all controlled by a computerized energy management control system (EMCS). The feasibility of utilizing geothermal heat tied to the heat recovery units will be confirmed by coring tests. As well, under-slab heating would be investigated for long-term cost and energy-savings.
A minimum LEED silver standard will be achieved through:
1. High albedo roof membrane.
2. High levels of envelope insulation, low-e/triple-glazed fenestration.
3. Operable windows tied to EMCS and overhead doors for natural ventilation.
4. Harvesting of natural daylight for occupied spaces through south facing windows; deep soffit overhangs will provide necessary shading during the summer months.
5. Exterior views for regular occupants (Office and Workshop)
6. Minimizing impact to the existing site; design paving systems for absorption of storm run-off.
7. Water-saving plumbing fixtures.
8. Drought tolerant heritage planting.
9. High-efficiency lighting with automatic sensors.
10. Low VOC material specifications.
11. Employment of regional materials.
12. FSC lumber materials where utilized on the project (millwork, finish carpentry) .
13. Dedicated storage/collection of recyclable materials.
14. Specify construction waste management program.
15. Specify fluorescent lighting capable of accommodating LED in the future.
16. Provide motion/daylight sensor lighting controls.
1 7. Provide high-efficiency motors.
URBAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES
A. Enhancing the city, neighbourhood & district
- The new Pavilion will provide venues for increased recreational use, and cultural and performing arts activities to bring residents of the City together in the park setting.
- Spaces in the pavilion design open directly to the exterior, bringing the Park's natural features inside.
- The park's identity will be enhanced by a distinctive building form, whether viewing along River Road, or looking down on it from the top of the river valley to the north.
- The illuminated pavilion spaces will be highly visible when seen from the south through the outline of coniferous trees at night, celebrating the events occurring.
B. Celebrating Edmonton's climate
- Varied roof heights lend prominence during winter snow cover, when viewed from both ground level and from the buildings and streets located at the top of the river valley to the north (including Victoria Promenade).
- An image of skate blades cutting through the snow will be reinforced by reflective finish of horizontal siding and falling snow cover on the lower roofs.
- The transparency of the south facing main spaces brings distinctive seasons of the surrounding vegetation into the spaces for the enjoyment of its occupants.
- Landscaped courtyards in front of the spaces for City staff and ESSA volunteers will provide a privacy buffer and degree, of intimacy for the occupants.
- The building footprint is broken up into multiple perceived volumes to reduce its scale and imposition on the park setting.
C. Celebrating heritage
- The timber construction used at Fort Edmonton for its ramparts is suggested by the pattern of vertical siding around the building. The floor plan's shifting axes and rectilinear forms recall wood logs moving and jamming together as they float downstream. Both relate the importance of the North Saskatchewan River to Edmonton's historical development.
- The employment of exposed steel roof structure, metal cladding and walkway railing suggests a progression to the modern age, embodied by the High Level and 105 Street bridges located further east.
(Competitor's text)
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