Diamond Schmitt Architects MEDIA RELEASE September 17, 2013 RESEARCH TOWER OPENS AT SICK CHILDREN S HOSPITAL A new typology for research laboratories in the high-rise form TORONTO The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning opened today at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, bringing under one roof 2000 researchers, trainees and staff previously dispersed throughout six buildings. At 778,000 sq ft (72,354 sm), the 21-storey laboratory designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects is believed to be the largest child health research tower in the world and among the largest laboratories in the high-rise form. Situated on a dense urban site, the building will serve as a centre of excellence for SickKids to further its commitment to advancing paediatric research. With state-of-the-art laboratories, learning facilities and multi-level interactive spaces, the entire building is designed to enhance collaboration and interaction, said Donald Schmitt, Principal, with the design firm. Six thematic research neighbourhoods each have open two- and three-storey collaborative spaces connected by stairs. These working lounges have kitchenettes, white boards, soft furnishing and incomparable views of the city through glazing with high transparency. These innovative and dramatically arranged spaces provide gathering points where scientists, clinicians and students can share information and fuel innovation. The curvilinear form of the stacked bay windows differentiates these spaces as a defining feature of the façade and the curvilinear form continues inside to create a dynamic hub space. Working closely with the Hospital, the architects sought to demystify the role of medical research by bringing it to street level. Conference and education facilities populate a learning concourse on the ground floor through level three. Teleconferencing and distance learning technologies allow for information exchange around the world facilitated in a 250-seat auditorium. To further overcome the constraints of a tall building silo culture, the 17 floors of labs are open and flexible for reconfiguration, where modular mobile benching converts from web lab to dry lab as research demand requires. This accommodates scientists and researchers from different disciplines to interact and who normally wouldn t rub shoulders, said Dr. Janet Rossant, Sick Kids Chief of Research. Not only will cell biologists, computer scientists and geneticists work side by side in the labs, researchers will also meet over coffee in the neighbourhoods open, light-filled atriums. Those spontaneous meetings present incredible opportunities to share information and promote new discoveries in children s health. An abundance of natural daylight is just one element that puts this green facility on track for LEED Gold certification for sustainable design. Fully 80 percent of the tower s high performance glazed enclosure is covered in a horizontal graduated ceramic frit for thermal control that maximizes daylight harvesting. Natural light penetrates to over 90 percent of the program areas and most of the labs enjoy two aspects of light (i.e., windows facing both north and east, or south and west). The colour patterning of the building s glass panels creates a mosaic design that contrasts the clarity of the vision glass in the bay windows and the three-storey learning concourse. These visual elements enhance the Gilgan Centre s identity, projecting a beacon of distinct colour and luminosity that reinforces the Hospital s role in the city and on the city skyline, added Schmitt..2/
The Gilgan Centre takes a whole-building approach to sustainable design in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development with 75 percent waste diverted from landfills water efficiency produces a 50 percent reduction in water use energy efficiency measures will bring a 38 percent reduction in energy use materials selection with 22.5 percent recycled content for new construction materials improved indoor environmental quality from low VOC-emitting products The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning is connected to the Hospital by pedestrian bridge. It forms the eastern gateway to Toronto s Discovery District of health care and biomedical research. Funding and support for $400 million project was provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, three levels of government, and a $200 million fundraising campaign with a lead donation of $40 million from Peter Gilgan. Project Team: OWNER: The Hospital for Sick Children ARCHITECT: Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc. CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR EllisDon Corporation MECHANICAL ENGINEER: HH Angus and Associates Ltd. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: HH Angus and Associates Ltd. CIVIL ENGINEER: MMM Group Ltd. LEED CONSULTANT: CDML Consulting Ltd. LAB CONSULTANT: HDR INC. BUILDING SCIENCES PROFESSIONAL: Halcrow Yolles Partnership Inc. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: du Toit Allsopp Hillier ENERGY ENGINEER: Integral Group COMMISSIONING AUTHORITY: Stantec Consulting Ltd. Diamond Schmitt Architects (www.dsai.ca) is based in Toronto with a practice that is worldwide. The firm has extensive experience in laboratory and healthcare facility design in addition to academic, commercial, residential and cultural commissions. Recent projects include the New Mariinsky Theatre opera house in St. Petersburg, Russia, opened in 2013. Current projects include Public Health Ontario Clinical and Research labs at MaRS Phase II in Toronto, the Global Innovation Centre at Wilfrid Laurier University, a Master Plan for The Hospital for Sick Children and the transformation of the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. For more information on Diamond Schmitt Architects, please contact: Paul French Director of Communications Tel. 416 862-8800 ext. 454 pfrench@dsai.ca
Diamond Schmitt Architects BACKGROUNDER September 17, 2013 PETER GILGAN CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND LEARNING Diamond Schmitt Architects has created a new typology for research laboratories in the high rise form. Working in close collaboration with the team at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), the building design delivers on three key objectives: create research neighbourhoods that facilitate interaction as well as connection to daylight and the city demystify research into children s health by providing visible conference and education facilities and views into research communities on upper floors create an urban tower that uniquely identifies SickKids, its research, and the Discovery District Collaborative Space collegial neighbourhoods in six thematic research precincts overcome the isolation inherent in the high rise form by providing two-and three-storey collaborative spaces connected by stairs, these working lounges have kitchenettes, white boards, soft furnishing and incomparable views of the city through low-iron glazing with crystal clear transparency the curvilinear form of the glass bay windows differentiates these spaces as a defining feature of the facade and the form continues inside to create dynamic hub space Flexible Laboratory Space long, open, flexible lab space accommodates diverse research needs and interaction modular mobile benching converts from web lab to dry lab as research demand requires support spaces are located in the core for permanent facilities such as lab sinks and fume-hoods concealed overhead services provide a plug-in network of utility ports for additional flexibility Educational Space a three-storey learning concourse is publicly accessible with conference and meeting rooms State-of-the-art teleconferencing and distance learning technologies allow for information exchange around the world a 250-seat tele-educational auditorium provides intimacy, excellent sightlines and acoustics Sustainable Design the building has a comprehensive design commitment to environmental responsibility targets LEED Gold certification sustainable measures include: - 40% reduction in water use - 38% reduction in energy use - extensive lighting control system - provision for heat recovery from adjacent Steam Plant Alternative transportation is encouraged. There are more parking spots for bicycles than cars, with change rooms and dedicated showers for cyclists on the ground floor Building Envelope the exterior image and form create a distinctive landmark for the Hospital and reveal activity within 80% of the tower s glazed enclosure is covered in a horizontal graduated ceramic frit for thermal control that maximizes daylight harvesting while providing a cohesive identity the building has 20% more vision glazing than typical and allows natural light to reach over 90% of the program areas the colour patterning of the glass panels creates a mosaic design that contrasts the clarity of the vision glass in the bay windows and the 3-storey learning concourse at grade
Project Team: OWNER: The Hospital for Sick Children ARCHITECT: Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc. CONSRUCTION CONTRACTOR EllisDon Corporation MECHANICAL ENGINEER: HH Angus and Associates Ltd. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: HH Angus and Associates Ltd. CIVIL ENGINEER: MMM Group Ltd. LEED CONSULTANT: CDML Consulting Ltd. BUILDING SCIENCES PROFESSIONAL: Halcrow Yolles Partnership Inc. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: du Toit Allsopp Hillier CONSTRUCTION MANAGER: EllisDon Corporation ENERGY ENGINEER: Integral Group COMMISSIONING AUTHORITY: Stantec Consulting Ltd. Diamond Schmitt Architects (www.dsai.ca) is based in Toronto with a practice that is worldwide. The firm has extensive experience in laboratory and healthcare facility design in addition to academic, commercial, residential and cultural commissions. Current projects include Public Health Ontario Clinical and Research labs at MaRS Phase II in Toronto, the Global Innovation Centre at Wilfrid Laurier University and The Globe and Mail Centre in Toronto.
Diamond Schmitt Architects 1 Peter Giligan Centre-Tom Arban.jpg 2 Peter Giligan Centre-Tom Arban.jpg 3 Peter Giligan Centre-Tom Arban.jpg 4 Peter Giligan Centre-Tom Arban.jpg 5 Peter Giligan Centre-Duncan Higgins DSAI Photo Credit: Duncan Higgins, Diamond Schmitt Architects 6 Peter Giligan Centre-Tom Arban.jpg For more information, please contact: Paul French, Director of Communications pfrench@dsai.ca 416-862-8800 x454