Trent University [to be moved?]

I spent the weekend at a church retreat in Peterborough, at Trent University.

Much of the time during that weekend was spent at Peter Gzowski College, the newest college on campus. The Dunlop Architects-designed building (subject of a war of words in 2004 between Trent and the Globe's Lisa Rochon) is made up of the First People House of Learning on the first three floors, with three floors of residences on top (clad in yellow concrete panels with irregular windows). The building looks good on the outside and the inside, but the residence floors look somewhat like a jail (since each room has a bare concrete wall on one side and a bare concrete ceiling, and is extremely small).

I also got a chance (early in the morning, when nobody's around) to walk the roof garden of the Chemical Science building, by Teeple. Across the river is the famous Ron Thom-designed campus, with Bata Library and Champlain College.

Gzowski College





















Chemical Sciences



















... and the rest of the campus.

thanks for the tour - very impressive campus! Universities can always be counted on to embrace progressive architecture. I am puzzled about how that one staircase at the Gzowski college leads right onto the grass... that must get ugly during the spring melt.

thank you for those--very interesting.

its especially great to see shots of the original campus again. its still looks fantastic.

Awesome photos. I've been there to visit a bf at the time, and it was a very cool campus. I didn't get to see much of it up close, but what I did see was really awesome.

Great photos Wylie!

I've never seen a building use such big aggregate before. Concrete is just amazing when done right.

I was reading the entry for Macy Dubois on wikipedia which mentioned that he has some buildings built at Trent University. However, I couldn't find any other supporting info. Did he design the buildings or did he just work with Thom on them?

Trent is my alma mater. The Gzowski building sticks out like a sore thumb and goes against everything Thom visioned for the campus. It's orientation as an L-Shape that faces away from the rest of the campus makes it feel isolated within a campus that is entirely linked both physically and architecturally. It's been the cause of a fair bit of anger in the Trent community not just because it looks so out of place, but because the spaces within have been used improperly. It has the only private dining hall on campus and that didn't go over well. It's also the most expensive college on campus so most people view it as the place where only the rich kids can afford to stay.


As for that staircase that leads into that field - it's not an issue because they didn't design anything properly and essentially no one uses that staircase. It serves no purpose whatsoever. I guess maybe they expected students to use the field in front of it but considering Ptbo has at least -25 windchills for much of the school year, no one wants to be outside in what is essentially a windtunnel.

If anyone has any questions about the pictures (like what a building is used for, or how its design plays a role in the average student's experience) feel free to ask. And thanks for posting these pictures. I have no intention of ever going back to Trent, but it is nice to see in postcard form haha

Thanks for the pictures wyle, and thanks jn12 for the different view. I have thought Trent was the most beautiful campus in Ontario, of those I have seen. But I haven't seen the Gzowski building in real life.

BTW, much of Peterborough is a pretty nice place and worth looking around.

Thanks for the pics Wylie. I'm also not a fan of Peter Gzowski College. It totally clashes with the rest of the campus, which is so architecturally consistent and pure, not to mention unique.

The only think I like about Peter Gzowski College is the name.

It was the first Canadian use of rubble-aggregate concrete. Thom, who had previously seen Saarinen's residences at Yale, specified that limestone pieces measuring about 5" be used. Full-scale tests were done to determine the right mixture of grout, the correct quantity and proportion of rubble, the most appropriate formwork retarder, and the optimum length of curing time. After earlier samples failed to meet standards, the stone was quarried from Hamilton.

There's a nice little write-up on the construction of Trent in the Yolles book.

It looks like a stunning place, thanks for the tour. when was it built?

Symons Campus was open in 1967 with Champlain College being the first college. The hall there is fantastic and the architecture in the college is tops on campus.

If you want to see pictures and other related info about the building of Symons campus, there's tons of info/pics here:
http://www.trentu.ca/admin/library/archives/zthome.htm

Thanks wylie!

The Chemical Sciences Buidling by Teeple looked so much like the school projects by Morphosis!

re: Aggregate concrete

It made the buildings so much more pleasant - one can only wish that's the material they've used for some of the Brutalist inventory in Toronto...

AoD

City of Oshawa Donates Land for Expansion of Trent University Durham – GTA

OSHAWA – Oshawa City Council has approved the donation of 1.8 acres of land to Trent University Durham – Greater Toronto Area, enabling the University to proceed with its plans to expand its Oshawa campus and programs offered in Oshawa.

The parcel of land is located at the north-end of 99 Thornton Road South (Civic Recreation Complex), adjacent to the Trent University Durham – GTA campus at 55 Thornton Road South.

The expansion project will build on Trent’s more than 40-year history in Oshawa and will result in more students gaining access to a postsecondary education and the delivery of a growing range of degree programs. This development will help more students to experience Trent’s transformational learning experience which prepares them for successful careers.

Trent University Durham – GTA welcomes over 1,000 students each academic year, supported by approximately 75 faculty members in addition to University staff, and contributes greatly to the local economy. Trent’s Oshawa campus has the capacity to serve 1,200 students and, due to major increases in enrollment predicted for this fall, the University expects to reach this number by 2019, perhaps sooner.

“City Council is pleased to support Trent University Durham – GTA in building upon and expanding its 40-years of granting degrees in Oshawa. The University generates approximately $47 million annually in economic activity to Oshawa and Durham Region,” said Councillor John Aker, Chair of the Development Services Committee. “Students in Oshawa and Durham Region will now have more choice and opportunity to attend university.”

Expansion plans for Trent University Durham – GTA include two new buildings. The first building will have academic space on the first floor with residence space on the upper floors, in a living-learning model that creates a supportive community for student success. The second building will be an academic building that fronts onto Thornton Road South framing a central green courtyard.

“I am delighted thatOshawa City Council has approved the donation of 1.8 acres of land to Trent University Durham – GTA on Thornton Road to accommodate growth at the current Oshawa location,” said Dr. Leo Groarke, President and Vice-Chancellor of Trent University. “With first-year student increases averaging 25 percent annually the current facility will soon be at capacity. We are excited to plan for new academic and residential space to accommodate student demand in the Eastern GTA for September 2019.”

The 1.8-acre parcel of land, which has been declared surplus by the City, has an estimated market value of $1.44 million. The donation implements the Oshawa Strategic Plan by supporting the growth of our post-secondary institutions.

The transfer of land will take place once the University’s expansion receives site plan approval from the City and the City is in the position to issue a building permit for the first building of the proposed development.

Trent University has had a presence in Oshawa for more than four decades. In 2009, Trent University acquired the former St. Michael’s Catholic Elementary School and invested $12 million to transform the site into an Oshawa campus. The Oshawa campus welcomed its first students in fall 2010.

For more information on Trent University Durham – GTA, visit www.trentu.ca/durham.

For updates on the City of Oshawa, visit www.oshawa.ca and sign up for news, alerts and e-newsletters. Stay connected with us on Twitter, Facebook,Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Connect Oshawa.

Every city not having a university is wanting one these days (Brampton, Markham) - and of course Oshawa had UOIT at the periphery and useless for the more suburban-retrofit oriented schemes.

AoD