|
The $24 - million, 126,000 - square - foot, LEED Gold [registered), five - storey office tower at 7125 Mississauga Road in the Meadowvale North Office Park is a modern design - build structure that blends in with neighbouring buildings while retaining a distinctive identity.
The rectangular building, developed and managed by Ben - tall Kennedy LP, is owned by bcIMC. Baxter Corporation occupies the first three - and - a - half floors as a long - term tenant. "This was the last office site available for development in our park/ says Bentall Kennedys Stuart Wanlin, executive vice president, Eastern Canada. "It was designed to maximize the allowable density on the site and accommodate the needs of the tenant. The design is sympathetic to adjacent developments, including the Microsoft Canada head office."
The nearly column - free structure has two L - shaped facades - one consisting of glazing and white precast concrete, with an all - glass centre above the main entrance facing the 500 space parking lot, and another of glazing and greenish/gray spandrel cladding, with a glass wall lining the roof to provide a distinctive floating element. All primary mechanical infrastructure and systems are located in the penthouse.
"We have a very efficient floorplate for the Toronto suburban office market," says Wanlin. "Were thrilled with the look and quality of the product. The tenant was eager to occupy the premises. Our last project in the park received LEED Gold certification and we focus on a better quality design and materials which enhance energy efficiency and reduce operating costs for the tenants," he adds. "The owner benefits through lower costs over the life of the building. There is a market advantage to having a LEED - certified office building, as there is more demand for advanced buildings."
BBB Architects Toronto Inc. designed the base building, with the interior design for Baxter designed by a Chicago firm that was integrated into final design. Greg Alexander, the partner - in - charge of the project, stressed that the design had to provide optimal office space to compete in the market.
"The building relates to its prominent location on a major corner," he says, "and directs itself to the corner so that signage opportunities can be maximized. The glazing and precast side relates to the central focus on the parking lot side where everybody is entering the building core. We created more of an urban statement by placing the building close to the intersection with landscaping along this frontage and the parking lot located to the east with an entrance off this side."
The second entrance will serve those arriving by future public transit services. The rooftop glass wall "creates the sense of a glassy, open front that is floating and helps to screen the mechanical room," says Alexander. "The glass is low - E coated and is very high performing. Its more expensive than most you would see on commercial buildings - it has a very good shading co - efficient and U - value. The precast facade relates to other buildings and creates strong graphic horizontal lines."
One can see straight through the building from the lobby, which has a large public space. The upper floors also allow for natural light to flood the building from end - to - end. "You want to have as much light as possible," says Alexander. "Floor - to - ceiling glass is less energy efficient. We created a building that has seven - foot high windows and is open, airy and efficient."
The interior is "a combination of closed office space, with the private offices next to the core with glass fronts. It basically goes from more to less enclosed as you go to the windows," says Alexander. "There are no private offices along the exterior walls. The lobby is bright and spacious, utilizing a combination of porcelain tile, wood veneer, marble - like porcelain tile on the walls and a feature wall that is backlit with grasses laminated within the material." Similar materials are found in common areas on the upper floors and washrooms.
Bedford Glass and Mirror supplied and installed an elegant blue glass curved wall, office windows with decorative film work and glass entrance doors on the project.
To secure LEED certification, state - of - the - art technologies were employed, including: building management systems, heat - reclaiming systems, lighting controls and occupancy sensors, bioswales and stormwater retention for landscaping irrigation. "Low - flow fixtures result in greater than 40 per cent water savings and a cistern to collect rainwater to supplement irrigation has been installed," says Alexander. "Overall energy performance is modelled at between 45 to 57 per cent better than a typical model building as a result of advanced HVAC systems with heat recovery and high - efficiency boilers."
Alexander says the "landscaping is generous," with a combination of trees and grasses on the Mississauga side and grass, trees and shrubs surrounding the parking lot. "The bioswales in the parking area allow for natural drainage rather than have to use all storm drains."
TAC Projects Inc. served as the landlords manager for the project, with Peter Rankel, the principal in charge. "The key to delivering the building on time was blending the base building program with the tenant requirements," he says. "It was a fairly seamless operation combining the two programs and we essentially provided a turnkey service. That allowed us to shave a considerable time off the schedule."
Baxter moved into the building in mid - September. Rankel says the tenant benefited most by combining the designs of base building and interior designs. "It saved the tenant money because we held off awarding the base building finishing trades," he says, "and then tendered them together with the interior fit - out portion as one package."
EllisDon began its pre - construction planning six months prior to breaking ground. Construction began in April 2010 and was completed last August.
"The challenge was in completing the project based on a pretty tight schedule," says Andrew Anderson, EllisDons project manager. "We had the majority of the preparatory work complete, but in order to fast - track the project, we started construction work before the signing off on the final design. Weve worked on a few LEED jobs of similar size and design with this client in the same vicinity and this has been our fourth building with the same primary core team. Many of the grey areas between what is expected and what is delivered were minimized."
The projects biggest challenge was the permanent closure of the shell last March as the installation of the precast concrete and curtain wall systems was completed in winter. "For the coldest, windiest months of the year," says Anderson, "we were temporarily enclosing the building and simultaneously opening it up to install the permanent components. We were lucky to have a good team of subcontractors willing to give the extra effort when needed."
Newer news items:
Older news items:
|