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From the National Post:
U of T law trims shortlist for new home
Three Canadian firms in running for $60M project
Karon Liu, National Post
Published: Friday, October 12, 2007
The University of Toronto yesterday revealed the three competing designs for its law school expansion to be built south of the ROM on Queen's Park Circle.
The $60-million project will add 100,000 square feet of classrooms, lecture halls and faculty offices to the historic buildings, something the dean said is sorely needed.
"The reputation of the faculty is good so we have no trouble getting faculty, but when they get here we don't know how to house them, especially with senior scholars who always ask where their office is going to be," said dean Mayo Moran, who added that the lack of office space has led administrators to beg faculty on sabbatical to let others use their offices, and for faculty members to share offices.
Three Canadian designs have been narrowed down from the original shortlist of six in July. The firms presented their ideas to the faculty's alumni, representatives from the City of Toronto and the ROM, and residents of the Annex last night in Flavelle House, one of U of T's two law buildings on Queen's Park Circle.
Toronto-based Hariri Pontarini Architects is proposing a three-storey stone-and-glass structure resembling a classic ski chalet, though firm partner Siamak Hariri would describe it more as a bookend.
"We like stone and glass so the building is like a curtain of them. We like it to be permanent, fluid and simple. A law school should have an enduring image that would last beyond 50 years, and the crescent shape comes from packing the density along Queen's Park and making it long and thin, similar to a bookend. The finance building is a bookend on the other side, so it keeps everything low on Philosopher's Walk."
Ms. Moran said all designs had to enhance, and not overshadow, Philosopher's Walk, the scenic footpath that runs along the main campus. Other constraints included not building over existing property lines and making sure the buildings are fully accessible, a problem that plagued the old buildings. How the expansion looks on the city block as a whole was also a consideration.
"This is a law school and it should look and feel like a law school, and so its relationship with the ROM is that it's a good neighbour and that's basically it. The law school should have its own identity," said Mr. Hariri.
His firm designed York University's Schulich School of Business, the Nike Toronto store on Bloor Street and the renovation of Flavelle House.
Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects, also based in Toronto, designed a five-storey expansion that's essentially two intersecting rectangles.
The lower one would be made of glass and wood, and the one on top made of glass with a leaf design etching.
"We worked with Montreal artist Genevieve Cadieux because we're proposing a ceramic pattern on the glass. It has an ivy pattern that speaks to the quality and tradition to the school of law and yet it's very contemporary," said Marianne McKenna, who's in charge of the project.
"We've done something similar with the National Ballet School of Canada with choreographic patterns on the glass. It's really about integrating art and bringing in an artist who adds to the expression of the building."
KPMG's clients include Yale University, the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art and the Royal Conservatory of Music.
The third design consists of geometric shapes resembling the ROM's Michael Lee-Chin Crystal next door. Designed by Montreal team Saucier + Perrotte, the goal is to balance out the city block by designing a building that's as prominent as the ROM.
The law school was originally going to relocate to Devonshire Place and Bloor Street, but after the ROM renovations, Ms. Moran said they decided to stay at their current location on Queen's Park Circle because it was right next to the legislative building. The faculty also thought of how it, too, could re-imagine its existing location.
I mean, look out here and try to find Philosopher's Walk," Ms. Moran said, pointing outside the window. "It's right outside but it's hard to find."
Though Ms. Moran said it was too early for her to decide on a favourite design, there was one early proposal that raised eyebrows, and not in a good way.
"One firm we interviewed was bold to say we should expand over Philosopher's Walk," said Ms. Moran. "I don't think that would fly."
Ms. Moran said a panel will be named to judge the designs, but the university has set no timetable for picking a winner.
kliu@nationalpost.com
© National Post 2007
AoD
U of T law trims shortlist for new home
Three Canadian firms in running for $60M project
Karon Liu, National Post
Published: Friday, October 12, 2007
The University of Toronto yesterday revealed the three competing designs for its law school expansion to be built south of the ROM on Queen's Park Circle.
The $60-million project will add 100,000 square feet of classrooms, lecture halls and faculty offices to the historic buildings, something the dean said is sorely needed.
"The reputation of the faculty is good so we have no trouble getting faculty, but when they get here we don't know how to house them, especially with senior scholars who always ask where their office is going to be," said dean Mayo Moran, who added that the lack of office space has led administrators to beg faculty on sabbatical to let others use their offices, and for faculty members to share offices.
Three Canadian designs have been narrowed down from the original shortlist of six in July. The firms presented their ideas to the faculty's alumni, representatives from the City of Toronto and the ROM, and residents of the Annex last night in Flavelle House, one of U of T's two law buildings on Queen's Park Circle.
Toronto-based Hariri Pontarini Architects is proposing a three-storey stone-and-glass structure resembling a classic ski chalet, though firm partner Siamak Hariri would describe it more as a bookend.
"We like stone and glass so the building is like a curtain of them. We like it to be permanent, fluid and simple. A law school should have an enduring image that would last beyond 50 years, and the crescent shape comes from packing the density along Queen's Park and making it long and thin, similar to a bookend. The finance building is a bookend on the other side, so it keeps everything low on Philosopher's Walk."
Ms. Moran said all designs had to enhance, and not overshadow, Philosopher's Walk, the scenic footpath that runs along the main campus. Other constraints included not building over existing property lines and making sure the buildings are fully accessible, a problem that plagued the old buildings. How the expansion looks on the city block as a whole was also a consideration.
"This is a law school and it should look and feel like a law school, and so its relationship with the ROM is that it's a good neighbour and that's basically it. The law school should have its own identity," said Mr. Hariri.
His firm designed York University's Schulich School of Business, the Nike Toronto store on Bloor Street and the renovation of Flavelle House.
Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects, also based in Toronto, designed a five-storey expansion that's essentially two intersecting rectangles.
The lower one would be made of glass and wood, and the one on top made of glass with a leaf design etching.
"We worked with Montreal artist Genevieve Cadieux because we're proposing a ceramic pattern on the glass. It has an ivy pattern that speaks to the quality and tradition to the school of law and yet it's very contemporary," said Marianne McKenna, who's in charge of the project.
"We've done something similar with the National Ballet School of Canada with choreographic patterns on the glass. It's really about integrating art and bringing in an artist who adds to the expression of the building."
KPMG's clients include Yale University, the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art and the Royal Conservatory of Music.
The third design consists of geometric shapes resembling the ROM's Michael Lee-Chin Crystal next door. Designed by Montreal team Saucier + Perrotte, the goal is to balance out the city block by designing a building that's as prominent as the ROM.
The law school was originally going to relocate to Devonshire Place and Bloor Street, but after the ROM renovations, Ms. Moran said they decided to stay at their current location on Queen's Park Circle because it was right next to the legislative building. The faculty also thought of how it, too, could re-imagine its existing location.
I mean, look out here and try to find Philosopher's Walk," Ms. Moran said, pointing outside the window. "It's right outside but it's hard to find."
Though Ms. Moran said it was too early for her to decide on a favourite design, there was one early proposal that raised eyebrows, and not in a good way.
"One firm we interviewed was bold to say we should expand over Philosopher's Walk," said Ms. Moran. "I don't think that would fly."
Ms. Moran said a panel will be named to judge the designs, but the university has set no timetable for picking a winner.
kliu@nationalpost.com
© National Post 2007
AoD
