The Hearth at the Exchange
Remember... "time, culture, and history are a continuum"
Your five aspirations and our engagement with Winnipeg's creative community, and numerous indigenous leaders, have ignited our imaginations and formed the basis of our overall design approach.
"The Hearth at the Exchange" is a dynamic ground designed to kindle the dramatic and vital transformation of the Exchange District. This ground focuses inwardly to support the new mixed-use community and radiates outwardly to encompass the existing surrounding neighborhoods and the larger city. The Hearth connects the city's heart: City Hall, Market Square, Red River College and the future Market Lands Community.
This ground is based on both memories and aspirations. It is a ground of reconciliation, regeneration and creativity. It is a framework for generating future memories, as well as weaving together historic layers of the Exchange District's urban fabric and the site itself.
This ground will be a truly remarkable place, a hearth.
True placemaking requires more than strong architecture. The Hearth must be affordable. It must be supported by a community-focused governance model; a sustainable economic model; and, a flexible and adaptable operations model.
THE HEARTH
remember.. and celebrate our diversity
Like the dynamic Prairie sky, the circular Hearth induces a sense of movement. The ground with its paving patterns, its grasses and undulating benches sets up a clockwise flow connecting City Hall with the Hall of Creativity and the Hearth Residences. The Market Hall is the beacon of this gathering space.
The Hearth design supports a wide range of both programmed and spontaneous seasonal uses. It will attract events from both the surrounding community, and the city at large.
It beckons both Winnipeggers and visitors to explore, enjoy and pass through its doors.
HALL OF CREATIVITY
remember... our makers... our spirit
Supporting the mandate of the nationally recognized Urban Shaman gallery and a number of other community creative enterprises, the Hall of Creativity is a major gathering space to support new ways of arts programming and presentation. The Urban Shaman frames the south end of the hall, while access and servicing of the Hearth Residences frame the north. The work areas of the Hall animate Princess Street on the west.
The central Meeting Drum creates a unique focus and public presence within the grand volume of this Hall. A grand stair accesses the Hall's upper gathering space of arts and community offices and ultimately connects with the amenity spaces of the Hearth Residences above.
MARKET HALL
remember... our roots... our soul
The highly translucent and light-filled timber Market Hall is designed to combine both permanent food and beverage vendors with a full array of temporary and seasonal uses ranging from fresh food markets, to banquet nights and recreational activities.
Built on the recycled basement and foundations of the Public Safety Building, this highly flexible and adaptable Hall is also a beacon of sustainability. It provides for the building's servicing, cooling, water retention, storage and future Market Lands' central District Energy plant. The Market Hall food producing roof gardens provide for urban agriculture, market produce and potentially urban bee keeping while the greenhouses allow for the cultivation of native indigenous plants.
HEARTH RESIDENCES
remember... we all need an opportunity
The seven level Hearth Residences have been designed to insure that they are integral to the dynamic life of the whole Hearth. Opportunities for community connections have been designed into every floor level of this residential community, including light-filled corridors for storage lockers and laundry. Major amenity spaces and outdoor areas for all residents overlook the Hearth and the Hall of Creativity. Community garden plots are provided on the roof.
A strong and dynamic visual expression of movement is provided by the sculptural vertical solar shading fins on the east face of the residential block facing onto the Hearth. The use of brick on the west face of the Hearth Residence facing Princess Street connects with the historical faces of the Red River College and the Exchange District.
(Competitor's text)
Dialog Architects, Vancouver
The Jury was very taken with the thoughtful theme of Memory that pervaded the presentation and especially with the references to Truth and Reconciliation. The Jury was also fully impressed with the aerial image showing the busy market in full autumn sun and the idea to extend the market across King Street and connect with the City Hall precinct. The north-south orientation of the buildings was positive and the connection to the north precinct worked well. The Jury liked the definition of the stand-alone market building and its integration into the site. The concept of 'Hearth' was well received (especially with the sculptural form of hearth) and the many features of the proposal that developed from this theme - especially the circular form that flowed around the market building and across the street. The Jury was positive about the interconnected floors in the mixed-use building and the proposal to connect the residential amenity space and the creative gallery space and open all this to the plaza. The Jury was very impressed with the attention to detail and the comprehensive site programming options demonstrated in the proposal. The ideas for the building sustainability were comprehensive and seemed feasible. The presentation was very well articulated by both presenters and their deep experience in market governance and operation was deeply appreciated,
In the end, the Jury found that the image of the sun-filled and welcoming market area on the east side of the site as in the perspective, would be in significant shadow many afternoons in late summer and fall due to the shadow of the 10-storey mixed-use building. In addition, the Jury was concerned about the shading and pedestrian impact of the 10-storey massing on Red River campus and along Princess Street as illustrated in the Princess and William elevation.
The Jury thought that the building form was not fully developed enough to embrace the central 'circle' concept. Also, the flexibility of the plaza seemed functionally restrictive with the permanent grass filled planters on the south side of the plaza blocking openness. It seemed that the plaza flexibility is dependent on the closing of William and the spread of the market to the east. The Jury was aware that, as beautiful as the substantive rooftop gardens on both the market and the residential building are, they are likely not feasible due to cost. Finally, the Jury thought that the Hall of Creativity, the two-storey Gathering Room and the large second floor terraces were somewhat too grand in scale and cost for the Arts Hub.
(From jury report)
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