South Keys Station – Section

The City of Ottawa Council is on board with extending the Trillium Line, having approved $3-billion today to reach more LRT riders throughout Ottawa. There will be five new stations added to the Trillium Line (the “O-train” in its earlier days): Gladstone, Walkley, South Keys, Leitrim and Bowesville.   A rail link to the Ottawa Airport will also be explored further. As part of the Environmental Assessment team we’ve been working on station concepts, a few of which are shown here.

Gladstone Station – Entrance Level Plan

Gladstone Station – Section

Bowesville Station – Plan

When the government of Canada asked for granite floors, glass guardrails, metal trim and wood ceilings in the lobby of the LEED® gold James Michael Flaherty Building at 90 Elgin Street, Ottawa, we knew that the space could appear elegant and beautiful, but that acoustics might be an issue. There was concern that excessive reverberation caused by the use of hard surfaces would make it very difficult to hear any announcements over the public address system. The careful selection of ceiling materials offered the opportunity to improve the acoustic performance. Click here for an article by the ceiling manufacturer on their materials employed at the Flaherty Building.

Design proposal for Northern Canadian Airport – night view.

The path to designing a building can vary greatly from one project to another, at times long and meandering, occasionally more direct.  There are many points along the way in which decisions are made (or unmade) as a result of the myriad of factors which influence any given project.  Eventually though, each of these factors are addressed, contributing to a complete and cohesive design solution.

We recently had an opportunity to work on a design for a small airport in Northern Canada – the setting for which was remote, rugged and awe-inspiring.  In the series of images which follow, we reveal just a few of the steps we took in developing a design concept for this unique project.

Initial programmatic diagram identifying key spacial requirements.

Refinement of the preliminary plan – incorporation of structure and views.

Early study of building form – focus is simple forms which shed snow and promote views.

A return to fundamental design influences – the sky, the horizon and the land.

Design influences are explored through building form.

Design proposal for Northern Canadian Airport – Approach side view.

Design proposal for Northern Canadian Airport – air-side view.