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OCAD U: Digital Futures Centre (205 Richmond St W, 7s, KPMB/Kohn-Shnier) COMPLETE

nstuch

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OCAD just bought the building at 205 Richmond St W (SE corner of Richmond and Duncan) for campus expansion
 
When I was a student there, circa 1975, the administration wanted to move the OCA library down the street into the Ryerson Press building ( which now houses CityTV ). We put an end to that by videotaping one of the librarians as he jogged down McCaul to the building to "borrow a book" and jogged back again, with a breathless voice-over explaining what he was doing.

We set up a TV outside the President's office and ran the tape all day long. The College quickly backed off of their absurd plan. Ah, the power of the image!

At one time OCAD used the former cop shop on College, and the former Brinks building on McCaul just south of the main buildings.
 
I used to work in 205 Richmond West, about 20 years ago. My employer occupied all of the basement, and there were a couple of businesses on the main floor, but other than that the building was empty. My last day there, I took the cargo elevator and checked out each of the empty floors -- I was a bit surprised at all the mattresses and empty beer bottles in various corners.

Bill
 
I've heard from current students that there's talk of a master's programme. It could be studios for them. I think it would be a mistake having it so far away from the main campus but it might work being close to 401 Rich & 80 Spadina.
 
Its really not that far of a walk. At U of T or York, students may sometimes have to walk farther between buildings and classes, on the same campus.
 
A lot of the area that's now clubland was very counter-culture in the '70's and early '80's.

As Rick Bebout says in Promiscuous Affections:

"When The Body Politic took 24 Duncan in May 1976, the neighbourhood had seemed nothing special: big warehouses south of Queen, the street full of used furniture stores, taverns, greasy spoons, ratty apartments above, the huge wedding cake of the Wesley Building, home of the United Church's Ryerson Press. The area's main attractions had been plenty of small printers for flyers and such, photostat houses, a few decent copy shops - and lots of big, cheap space.

It was the availability of such space that would transform Queen West. It was cheap enough for other marginal types like us, in particular artists and musicians looking for places to create, rehearse, display their works - and live
." etc.
 
i work in 205 richmond now, it's pretty fully leased to a variety of different businesses.. OCAD's plan is to keep the existing tenants as per their leases and slowly assume the building as leases expire and tenants move out
 
OCAD expansion?

It has been reported that the Ontario College of Art and Design is in the process of buying a property at 205 Richmond Street West, at Duncan Street. The building is an old industrial loft, converted to offices. It has seven storeys plus a basement, and floor area of about 75,000 square feet.

I've had the impression that OCAD was short of space, even after the Alsop addition, and I would assume that this is the solution to their space challenges.

Edit: Sorry, I hadn't realized that this was already on the forum! Not much geta past this plugged-in group!

Further edit: A bit of a shame that they are no longer using the old cop shop building on College just west of University. That would have been a pretty good building for studio purposes, I would imagine.
 
From Adam Vaughan Website:

King-Spadina Planning Meeting
Date: April 14 2009
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Toronto City Hall, Council Chambers

Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St. W., City Council Chambers

Councillor Vaughan would like to hear your feedback about proposed planning and development in the King-Spadina neighbourhood.

There will be presentations about the following projects:

- 355 King St W (at Blue Jays Way)
- 99 Blue Jays Way (at Mercer St.)
- OCAD building, 205 Richmond St W (at Duncan)

Let us know if you plan to attend, either by phone at 416-392-4044 or councillor_vaughan@toronto.ca.

More information about neighbourhood planning and development is available at www.adamvaughan.ca in the “Community Maps†section.
 
205 Richmond - (OCAD Digital Futures Centre, 7s, KPMB)

The new OCAD Digital Futures Centre at 205 Richmond St W. is a joint project with Kohn/Shnier Architects and KPMB. An exisitng heritage warehouse building at the south-east corner of Richmond and Duncan is owned by OCAD. The proposal is a 7 storey addition to the 7.5 storey warehouse building, with the design partially inspired by the name of the original building (Textile Building).

The design of the addition is planned to be a sculpted form that will rise from the heritage structure, with a transition floor between the old and new components of the building that would expose the cornice of the heritage building. A digital canopy wrapping around the building at grade is also planned.

A gallery or café is planned for the base on the corner of Richmond and Duncan. The building will house digital media research facilities, studios, classrooms, and offices for OCAD.
 

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