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227 competitions documented	466 competitions listed
6 009 projects	60 929 documents

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Competitor

duToit Allsopp Hillier / duToit Architects

Fort York Visitor Centre / Centre d'accueil de Fort York

Presentation Panel

no.1 - a visitor centre and community hub

Presentation Panel

no.2 - interpret the site, understand the solution

Presentation Panel

no.3 - connecting the common

Presentation Panel

no.4 - lower volume: an extension of the landscape

Presentation Panel

no.5 - intersecting volumes

Presentation Panel

no.6 - upper volume: Fort York Pier

Perspective

a landscape restored

Perspective

communities connected

Perspective

an icon for an icon

Perspective

from the Fort

Perspective

from Fort York boulevard

Perspective

from the linear boardwalk

Perspective

western deck

Perspective

immersive threshold

Perspective

entrance lobby, reception, and treasury

Perspective

cafe, porch, and outdoor deck

Perspective

on the doorstep of the common

Perspective

community hub

Plan

interpretation of the site

Axonometric Drawing

site composition

Axonometric Drawing

part A program

Axonometric Drawing

part B program

Axonometric Drawing

part C program

Axonometric Drawing

part D program

Plan

entry deck level

Plan

common level

Plan

upper level

Section

through earthbound volume - west elevation

Section

lower volume

Section

upper volume

Section

upper volume

Diagram

circulation

Elevation

north

Elevation

south

Elevation

east

Reference Image

materiality and design

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE COMPETITOR

Competitor	DuToit Allsopp Hillier
	dtah.com

Doc. level	75%

Description

The Fort promoted
The Fort York Visitor Centre reflects an immense public investment in the history of Canada and the City of Toronto, and a belief that within the Fort's humble collection of buildings exist histories and storylines that resonate with all Canadians.

The Visitor Centre at Fort York has a dual function: it introduces visitors to the intriguing story of Fort York and provides a focus and meeting place for the precinct and its emerging communities.

Located on the threshold between the oldest collection of buildings in Toronto and one of the city's newest neighborhoods, the Visitor Centre will:

-Be a visible emblem of Fort York, extending out between the Gardiner bents to establish a strong address on Fort York Boulevard
-Provide flexible space for content-rich interpretive programs exploring the history of the Fort and its continued relevance in modern society
-Provide an anchoring community facility for an emerging neighborhood, including a research library, multi-purpose meeting and event spaces, and a café all connected to a new outdoor public plaza
-Connect extensive pedestrian and bicycle networks to Toronto's Waterfront, the downtown core and north up the Garrison Creek park system
-Establish Garrison Common as a public park, venue for events, and amenity for the neighborhood
-Anticipate the future role of the Armoury as a more public amenity

Design Principles - Site
Keeping a Distance: Fort York and the Garrison Common contain immense cultural and interpretive resources that will form the basis of a visitor's experience to the site. The Visitor Centre distances itself from these resources so that they may tell their own story.

Establishing a Line of Intervention: A zone free from archaeological resources, in the shadow of the Gardiner Expressway, is where both the Visitor Centre and its collecting boardwalk and public deck have been positioned.

Using the Gardiner - Part 1: The monumentality of the Gardiner's structure is highlighted in the positioning of a linear boardwalk running between its grand columns, and a great public deck that welcomes visitors into the building and accommodates public outdoor events.

Using the Gardiner - Part 2: Drop-off, parking, and servicing are also all accommodated under the Gardiner west of the building site, allowing direct pedestrian access to the Fort, Common, and Visitor Centre, uninterrupted by vehicular flow.

Connectivity is Key:
-The Visitor Centre establishes a path to the Common via a grand stair from the entrance lobby up and through the community spaces and onto the Common
-Garrison Road is re-established as a pedestrian link between the Fort, Visitor Centre and Armoury
-Foot paths on the Common connect the Fort and Visitor Centre to the city's larger pedestrian and bicycle networks
-An elevated pedestrian boardwalk connects Bathurst Street to a public deck fronting the Visitor Centre
-A new eastern entrance to the Fort from Bathurst Bridge reengages the Fort's original front door
-Dedicated streetcar access on the north side of Fort York Boulevard provides direct transit access

Earthbound
The lower volume of the Visitor Centre is materially heavy - of the earth and an extension of the landscape. It is embedded in the slope immediately north of the Gardiner where archaeological potential is believed to be minimal.

The spaces within the lower volume are organized along a glazed porch that runs east/west, connecting the building's supporting functions such as the café and school group areas with all ticketed areas (the Treasury, Exhibits and Orientation Rooms). The reception desk, centered on this circulation spine is visible from all entry points. From the exterior, the porch provides choice views into the building's heart, and could be programmed with exhibitions visible day or night from the exterior of the building.

The building captures and terminates the Fort's embankment to the east and marks the beginning of a retaining wall that extends through the Railway Cut to Strachan Avenue.

From the Common, the base building reads as a continuation of the landscape, its green roof separated from the Common's green by a depressed area set aside for archaeological investigation.

Elevated
The upper volume, aligned with the Fort's west gate and sol¬diers' quarters, hovers over the Common and the entrance deck, and is organized as an open floor plan of resource and event spaces on the second floor, and a mezzanine of office uses on the third. The distinct elevator and stair core connects the two levels visually and anchors the plans. The gathering spaces at the ends of this volume are multi-purpose, highly adaptable, and can accommodate large events as well as smaller groups without stressing the resources of the building or interrupting the visitor experience.

The upper volume is a light frame structure, clad in a screen of perforated metal, providing choice openings to views of the Fort, the Armoury, and the Princes' Gates beyond. It is a lantern, a beacon announcing the Fort that reaches out to the neighborhood.

Lighting concept
Inspired by the wetland vegetation interpreting the original Lake Ontario shoreline and Garrison Creek, the site lighting concept takes its cues from nature. Beneath the Gardiner, and to either side of the entry deck and boardwalk, these lamps would be mounted within the landscape, reaching up and out to illumi¬nate the deck surface. On the common, the lamps bend down, protecting the night sky while providing a safe level of lighting along the paths crossing the green.

(From competitor's text)

Jury Report

The Jury liked many aspects of this scheme. The overall massing with portions of the building located parallel to, and just north of, the Gardiner Expressway, and a contrasting section perpendicular to, and below, the Gardiner was well-received. One comment was that the section under the Gardiner blended well with the existing concrete structural support frame. The fact that this scheme minimized the impact on the Fort York Common area was considered to be very positive.

The section proposed under the Gardiner providing a high level of visibility on Fort York Boulevard and a direct connection to Garrison Road, was considered very desirable. Some Jury members questioned the choice of exterior materials being proposed (especially the perforated metal screen) from the standpoint of appropriateness in the Fort York historic context.

(From jury report)

List of accessible documents

41 scanned / 36 viewable

IMPORTANT NOTICE : Unless otherwise indicated, photographs of buildings and projects are from professional or institutional archives. All reproduction is prohibited unless authorized by the architects, designers, office managers, consortiums or archives centers concerned. The researchers of the Canada Research Chair in Architecture, Competitions and Mediations of Excellence are not held responsible for any omissions or inaccuracies, but appreciate all comments and pertinent information that will permit necessary modifications during future updates.
info@ccc.umontreal.ca

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