BEN RAHN / A-FRAME
CANADIAN ARCHITECT 08/22
28 GOVERNOR GENERAL’S MEDAL IN ARCHITECTURE
60_80 ATLANTIC AVENUE LOCATION
Toronto, Ontario BDP Quadrangle
ARCHITECT
60 and 80 Atlantic are a pair of linked office buildings that stand in the heart of Toronto’s Liberty Village, a former industrial zone located between the 19th-century Canadian Pacific Railway tracks and the Gardiner Expressway. Comprising the adaptive reuse of a historic building and a contemporary expansion, the project offers sustainable, contemporary workspaces, along with urban connectivity, within a quickly gentrifying historic neighbourhood. In phase one, the 1898 brick building at 60 Atlantic—originally built as a wine warehouse—was repurposed as a three-storey mixed-use building and urban catalyst. Its Corten-steel and glass addition contains a new circulation spine and washrooms, addressing today’s accessibility standards. The glass-wrapped stairway towers transform into illuminated beacons at night. An oversized graphic denotes the historic building’s street address, number 60, a reference to the industrial neighbourhood’s tradition of signage painted on warehouses. A sunken courtyard serves as a patio for the brewpub that resides on the basement level, breathing new life into the neighbourhood. The five-storey office building constructed in phase two continues the narrative, with a refined material palette and reimagining of the brick-and-beam typology for the 21st century. Mass timber—primarily glulam and nail-laminated timber (NLT)—is used for the structural framework of 80 Atlantic, creating Canada’s first contemporary mass
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timber office building outside of British Columbia. Steel and concrete have been integrated into the structure to provide additional strength and fire protection where necessary. The glass curtainwall along the south façade overlooks the courtyard and showcases the exposed mass timber inside. 80 Atlantic links to 60 Atlantic, creating a three-walled public gathering space for office workers, neighbours and passing pedestrians. Universal accessibility is provided by the sloping plaza between the two structures and the interior ramped entrance corridor at 80 Atlantic, visible through its glass façade. The plaza is framed by walls clad in porcelain tile, Corten steel, and glass curtain wall, establishing visual connections between outdoor communal space and indoor workplaces. Parking and service entrances are sequestered at the rear of the buildings, reinforcing the street front as their public face. With its two complementary structures forming an architectural diptych, 60_80 Atlantic Avenue enriches and revitalizes the neighbourhood. :: Jury :: The jury respected the deft use and juxtaposition of architec-
tural intervention in this project. The integration of existing elements with the addition and adaptation of the required modern spaces highlighted a successful architectural process within the constantly evolving built environments around our cities.
2022-07-19 3:09 PM
