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The 155,000 square-foot Ryerson University Student Learning Centre at the corner of Yonge and Gould Streets in Downtown Toronto continues to impress as it move towards completion. We had the opportunity to explore the interior spaces of the Snøhetta and Zeidler Partnership Architects-designed building this week and take in what has happened there since our recent update of June progress.
In addition to the multitude of photos below, we have also compiled a video which shows off the unique geometry of the spacious interiors.
Video by Craig White
The 8-storey, $112 million complex will provide students with a large and unique study space while also solidifying Ryerson University's downtown presence. Each floor has a distinct purpose and personality, which is evident when traversing through the structure.
The tour begins on the high-ceilinged eighth floor, which will house nineteen group workrooms and large casual study spaces under the vaulted roof. High quality floor-to-ceiling frit-patterned curtain wall glass windows ensure an ample supply of sunlight while cutting down on heat transference and allow those inside to absorb the city around them. Concrete beams and slabs on the ceiling provide enough support to limit intrusive columns, allowing the space to truly feel open and inviting.
We move down to the seventh floor, where there will be more study areas, including one space for graduates. There will be a total of thirty group workrooms on this floor. The image below depicts the natural sunlight penetrating the glass frit windows as oval ductwork lays on the floor waiting to be installed.
One of the most spacious and flexible rooms in the building is found on the sixth floor. Aptly nicknamed 'The Beach', the room features a tiered floor that doubles as casual seating as it leads down towards the southwest corner of the building.
Ceiling lighting arranged in a circular pattern, combined with the natural light peering through the large windows, creates a bright space that will surely become a popular hangout spot.
The fifth floor contains an additional eleven workrooms and four seminar rooms.
The fifth floor is also where the triangular beveled edge marking the corner of Yonge and Gould becomes visible. Its exterior will soon be covered in a reflective metal of changing blue hues.
Heading down to the fourth floor, the space puts more focus on the administrative functions of the university. Student Learning Support and Library Learning services will both be located here, but study space will also be provided.
The third floor acts as the balcony of a large and open atrium that welcomes students as they enter the building. Ryerson's Digital Media Experience, where students can attend workshops in advanced digital technology, is located on this floor. It is accompanied by the Ryerson Digital Media Zone, an extension of the existing innovation hub located at 10 Dundas East. The mound at the back of the space below will be carpeted, allowing for relaxed, sloped lounging space in the DMZ.
The image below captures the building's east side, facing Ryerson's Library Building. This section of the structure actually forms the interior of a bridge which connects the Student Learning Centre to the Library Building. A green roof will sit atop the two-storey bridge, in addition to two other green roofs atop the structure, helping the building achieve LEED Silver status.
The connection between the two buildings becomes clear in the photo below.
The third floor balcony offers great views of the storeys below. The ground floor of the building is connected to the third floor via a wide, meandering staircase that provides an interesting visual.
As we descend the staircase, the flurry of activity on the ground floor becomes clear. The second storey of the building includes the entrance to the Library Building, a staff lounge and a vantage point of the ground floor and Yonge Street traffic. The image below depicts this view as well as the three storeys of elevators that form the north wall.
A cafe will be located on the entry level with retail space below fronting onto Yonge Street. Triangular ceiling tiles emit a blue hue that changes in the sunlight, often turning purple when viewed from particular perspectives. The tiles are the same material that will grace the triangular accents of the building's exterior that should begin installation in September.
The first of the tiling has been installed inside. Coated in what was described as an automotive finish, the tiles shown below still have a protective plastic film on them. In this interior space, the tiles feature cutouts with acoustical material behind them to dampen the sound in the hard-surfaced space. The tiles outside will not include cutouts.
The entrance to the building from Yonge and Gould is designed to attract people in through an amphitheatre-like staircase that also acts as an event space. The staircase, similar to the ones found inside the building, is wide enough to double as casual seating as well.
The image below depicts the north side of the building and its relationship with the brutalist Library Building next door.
Steel cladding is beginning installation on the north side of the building as it moves closer to its 2015 opening. Punched patterns in the outer layer will mimic the patterns in the Student Learning Centre's glass.
The unique geometry of the structure ensures that no two perspectives are alike, which should make for some interesting photography as construction concludes. As libraries and their associated study spaces continue to redefine themselves, the unique rooms inside the Student Learning Centre are flexible enough to evolve and adapt to changing uses.
Additional images and details about the building can be found in our dataBase file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
| Related Companies: | EllisDon, entro, Ferris + Associates Inc., LiveRoof Ontario Inc, LRI Engineering Inc., Zeidler Architecture |
