Thesis Site Analysis

THESIS BUILDING ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT #1 ____

SHARON MURAD

INTD-4004-0NB MICHAEL KOUTSOULIAS OCTOBER 6, 2017

Table of Contents Part 1: As Built Drawings (Refer to Drawing Package Attached) Floor Plans Fire Safety Plans Sections Part 2: Built Form Conditions 1 Exterior Fabric 2 Interior Fabric 3-4 Heritage Fabric 5 Vertical Circulation 6 Structural Fabric 7 Building Systems

Sharon Murad

Building

21 Ossington Avenue

Program

Tech Spark, Design and Tech School

Rationale

Through research in the elementary curriculum in Ontario, I found it very evident that there is a lack of technology based education. In fact, “more than 80% of technology used in everyday life are consumed by women and people of colour, and less than 1% of that group are behind the creation of that same technology� (techspark.ca). Tech spark focuses on the education that the elementary curriculum is lacking and aims to improve the socio-economic status of youth, women, people of colour and newcomers to Toronto. My goal for this Thesis project is to create a safe, creative and innovative space where students can learn, innovate and create for the future.

Module 1: Assignment 1

Part 2: Built Form Conditions Exterior Fabric

Context

• This building sits on the corner of Ossington Avenue and Rebecca Street. Refer to Figure 5.

• This site is very accessible via public transportation and is very close to the main intersection of Queen Street and Ossington Avenue.

• On the east side of the building, a parking lot is located.

• Through analysis, it seems that this particular area may be built up in the future. This was concluded through observations of adjacent buildings. Refer to Figure 1 and 2.

• Around the building, Jimmy’s Coffee, The Toronto Western Hospital, a parlor shop, Starbucks Coffee, and Shinola Detroit can be found. Refer to Figure 3 and 4.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 3

Conditions

• The 2-storey structure is concrete and brick construction set 10” off of the street level.

• The exterior of the building is composed of solid brick coated with layers of paint where the exterior layer is white.

• The upper level seems to be in a better condition than the lower level.

• Most exterior fenestration conditions are covered with plywood, brick, or concrete block. Refer to Figure 7.

• The previous north garage door has been covered in a concrete block. Refer to Figure 8.

• The operating garage door can be found on the south-east corner of the building. Refer to Figure 6.

• In total, there are 6 door openings and garage door openings that are either currently operational or covered with brick/concrete block.

• The north and south facades feature graffiti art commissioned by local artists. Refer to Figure 6 and 8.

• On the south-west corner of the building, the signage and exterior lighting can be found. Lighting fixture conditions are poor as the metal has oxidized from climate conditions. Refer to Figure 9.

Figure 4 Sharon Murad

Figure 5 Module 1: Assignment 1

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Part 2: Built Form Conditions

Ceilings

Interior Fabric Conditions

• The building is currently a storage facility with storage units that average around 50 square feet. Refer to Figure 10.

• Ths 2-storey building has an office, washrooms, and storage units on the first floors and storage units on the second floor.

• Overall, the interior is in poor condition and is in need of many repairs including, flooring, ceilings, walls, and posts and beams.

Floors

• The flooring on the first floor is unfinished poured concrete raised 10” off of street level.

• The flooring on the second floor is composed of diagonal wood planks with a paint finish. Through analysis, it was found that this flooring system is not appropriate for acoustic considerations.

• The ceilings feature heavy timber beams - some painted white, some raw material - throughout the first and second floor. Refer to Figure 16 and 18.

• The ceiling is composed of gypsum wallboard with wire piping to cover electrical systems. Refer to Figure 17.

• Upright sprinklers, emergency lighting, exit signs, and other life safety equipment can be found on the ceilings.

Refer to Figure 17.

• The lighting throughout the building is provided by ceiling mounted, fluorescent lighting fixtures.

Figure 16 Figure 10

Walls

Sustainability

Figure 11

• The 2-storey building has original heavy timber columns throughout the first and second floor. However, it was concluded that some columns may have been added after initial construction.

• The current partitions are constructed with steel studs and frames with gypsum wallboard finishing and are uninsulated.

• Corner guards have been installed for corner protection considering that it is a storage unit and there would be the movement of large objects throughout the corridors.

• The interior of the exterior walls is exposed brick with a white paint finishing.

• The composition of the interior walls to the exterior walls is such that there is a gap between both layers of brick. This building appears to be uninsulated.

Figure 17

Figure 18

• The storage units include 3’ wide color-coded metal doors with locking mechanisms. These doors will be considered in the design of Tech Spark to consider sustainable practices. Refer to Figure 19 and 20.

• All exposed brick will remain exposed. Treatment to brick will be applied to remove layers of paint.

Figure 19

Design Possibilities

Figure 20

• The storage units will be demolished in a manner that will preserve wall studs, tracks, and materials for sustainability considerations.

• It will be further investigated if certain columns and beams can be removed to provide an empty canvas.

• The flooring on the first floor must be leveled as it is currently uneven.

Figure 12 Sharon Murad

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15 Module 1: Assignment 1

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Part 2: Built Form Conditions Heritage Fabric

Vegetation • Matured trees can be found around the neighborhood and along Ossington Avenue. Refer to Figure 26.

• On the building facade, vines and greenery grow along the brick walls. Refer to Figure 27.

• The north side of the building has poorly kept vegetation.

Zoning

• City Zoning: CR T2.5 C2.0 R1.5 • This building is not registered as a heritage or historic building.

• The Queen Street and Ossington Avenue intersection hold significant history despite the nonheritage status.

Design

• 21 Ossington currently holds the following occupancy: medium hazard industrial.

• This building is currently a storage facility.

Building Site

Historical Research • Ossington Avenue used to a part of Dundas Street until it was renamed “Ossington Avenue” in the early 20th century. (blogto.com) • The street was originally John Denison's Brookfield estate and then, later on, commercial activity started in the mid 19th century.

Figure 21: Map of Figure 22: Ossington Avenue near Queen Street, Ossington Avenue Area, 1920 (blogto.com) 1910 (blogto.com) Neighbourhood Character • The modern neighborhood provides hints of history and character through the brick construction and remanence of the cobblestone streets. Refer to Figure 23.

Figure 26 Figure 27 Climatic Conditions and Orientation • The Front entrance to the building faces the west, Ossington Avenue. Therefore, sunset views are seen from Ossington Avenue and sunrise views are seen from the parking lot area on the east side of the building. (suncalc.net) • Toronto experiences 4 seasons, therefore, the building needs to be equipped for winter and summer conditions.

Access and Movement • Access to the building can be found on the west side of the building from the sidewalk and on the east side of the building through the garage door opening.

• All stairs can be accessed from the exterior, however, it is not clear if the doors are operational from the exterior.

• Through public transit, the building can be accessed via the TTC bus and streetcar from Osgoode Station. (ttc.ca) • Pedestrian traffic was observed during the site visit and is depicted in Figure 28.

Red: Heavy Pedestrian Traffic Orange: Medium Pedestrian Traffic Yellow: Medium to Low Pedestrian Traffic Green: Low Pedestrian Traffic Figure 28 Design Opportunities • The site appears to be going through an “upgrade” at the moment.

• With adjacent building design in mind, there is an opportunity to match the facade of 21 Ossington to buildings around the neighborhood.

Figure 23

Sharon Murad

Figure 24

Figure 25

Module 1: Assignment 1

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Part 2: Built Form Conditions

Interior Features

Heritage Fabric Exterior Features

Historical Research • The buildings north and south facade features graffiti art commissioned by local artists. This would be considered a historical piece that deserves conservation throughout the redesign.

• The original brick construction of this building will be conserved as much as possible, however, where necessary patchwork will be done.

Stylistic Characteristics • The exterior fenestration openings will remain the same size, where the design permits, to conserve the history of the building.

• The greenery growing on the east side of the building brings style and character to the current building envelope.

Form and Massing • The current building resembles a cube with a flat roof and simple walls. This form will allow flexibility in the design while keeping the history of the building with a sustainable approach.

Architectural Details • The exterior details consist of exterior lighting (refer to Figure 29) and curved archways for fenestration openings.

• The flat roof offers the opportunity to create a modern facade to match the adjacent buildings.

Figure 29 Current Conditions • The building is currently painted with white paint which is peeling off in certain areas. Refer to Figure 30.

• The brick appears to be in a better condition on the upper level than the lower level.

Design Opportunities • As mentioned above, the building is a simple cubic envelope which offers great opportunities for design options.

• The brick construction offers opportunities to restore the brick to its original condition • The fenestration openings which are currently closed by plywood and concrete block, bring the opportunity to open up and provide natural daylight in the interior.

Stylistic Characteristics • The exterior fenestration openings will remain the same size, where the design permits, to conserve the history of the building.

• The greenery growing on the east side of the building brings style and character to the current building envelope.

Figure 30 Sharon Murad

Historical Research • The building is constructed of heavy timber post and beam construction. (Refer to Figure 31) It seems that the post and beams throughout the building are original. This brings a lot of historical value to the building and should be preserved throughout the design.

Significant Rooms or Spaces • The first floor of the building has storage rooms, washrooms, and an office.

• The second floor of the building has storage rooms.

• There are no particular rooms of significant value.

Spatial Characteristics • The building has high ceilings on the first floor of 13”.

Circulation • The circulation in the building is central with the storage rooms laid out at the exterior walls.

Structural Considerations • It is important to consider conserving the existing post and beams throughout the space. This structural aspect requires repairs, however, respecting the original structure is a goal.

Figure 31 Building Code Issues • Staircase headrooms and ceiling heights may present an issue.

• Existing stairs appear uneven and will require reconstruction • The ramp to the elevator may not be designed according to building code requirements and the ramp ratio may need to be revised.

• Flooring is not barrier-free as it is uneven and may present safety hazards • There appears to be an appropriate amount of exit points and means of egress.

Architectural Details • The exposed brick on the interior of all exterior walls will remain untouched. However, treatments will be applied to reinforce certain areas and to remove layers of paint.

• Architectural details such as the connection point from the posts and beams will remain unless strengthening the connection is required.

• Many beams appear to have nails and screws from previous applications. This adds character and history to the structure and will be considered a detail that can be incorporated in the future design.

Lighting Conditions • Natural Daylight does not currently penetrate the entire space due to the covered up windows.

• Existing fenestration will be treated and new windows will be installed to conserve the current design of the windows.

• The ceiling mounted, fluorescent lighting throughout the space will be replaced as it does not present any historical value.

Finishes • The wooden and brick finishes throughout the building will be preserved as much as possible where the design permits.

• There is paint finishing on the flooring of the second floor and on all interiors of the exterior brick walls.

Current Conditions • Overall, the space is in poor condition and is in need of repairs • The second-floor wood plank flooring is warping due to the humidity and will need to be replaced.

Design Opportunities • The volume of the space offers the opportunity to design in a 3D space and create innovative and conceptual features while conserving the history of 21 Ossington Avenue.

Module 1: Assignment 1

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Part 2: Built Form Conditions Vertical Circulation Stairs

• There are 3 staircases in total, 2 of which are metal staircases and the third is a wooden staircase.

• All sets of stairs lead to the exterior, therefore, they are egress stairs.

• All stairs have a railing of about 32” AFF. Staircase #1: North-east on plan (Refer to Figure 32, 33, and 34) • This staircase is constructed of wood with a paint finish.

• The stairs are in poor conditions, they are not acoustically sound, and are uneven.

• This ‘U’ shape stair has a landing after the first 11 stairs and continues to the second floor to create a total of 22 stairs.

• The risers have a height of about 8 1/2”, which is considerably high when reviewing the stair requirements in the building code.

• Natural Daylight penetrates this stairwell and exposed brick walls surround this area on the north wall.

Staircase #2: South-west on plan • This staircase is constructed of metal.

• The straight stairs have a total of 22 stairs.

• The risers have a height of about 8 1/4”, and low headrooms at 74” AFF and 104” AFF. (Refer to Figure 35) Staircase #3: South-east on plan • This staircase is constructed of metal.

• The ‘L’ shape stairs have a total of 21 steps with a landing after the first 16 steps from the first floor.

• The risers have a height of about 7 1/2”.

Figure 32

Figure 33

Figure 34

Figure 35

Figure 36

Elevator (Refer to Figure 36)

• The freight elevator is located on the south-west corner of the building (north-east of the plan).

• There is a ramp to enter the elevator, this condition occurs on both floors of the building.

• A beam runs across the front of the elevator doors.

• The ramp up to the elevator may not meet barrier-free requirements and may need redesigning.

• A passenger elevator may be replaced for the redesign to meet programming requirements of the new client.

Sharon Murad

Module 1: Assignment 1

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Part 2: Built Form Conditions Structural Fabric

Wall Types

• The building has an exterior envelope constructed of brick with a paint finish. These exterior walls are not insulated and have an air gap between 2 layers of brick. Refer to ID1.1 for Typical Exterior Wall Section.

• Concrete block walls are surrounding the freight elevator. This serves fire protection and structural support for elevator functions.

• Interior partitions are composed of steel stud framing and gypsum wallboard. These partitions are not load bearing and will be removed for the redesign. Refer to Figure 39.

Post and Beam

• Throughout the building, post and beam construction hold up the structure • Heavy timber beams and columns are laid out in a grid.

• The connection from the post to the beam can be seen in Figure 37. (Refer to Figure 38) • The beams run from west to east (south to north on plan) • The condition of the beams and columns appear to require repairs.

• Some beams are sagging downward on the east side of the building.

Figure 37

Figure 38

Roof

• The roof of the building is a shallow shed roof.

• From street level, the roof appears to be a flat roof, therefore, it is assumed that there is a parapet around the perimeter of the building.

Figure 39 Sharon Murad

Module 1: Assignment 1

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Part 2: Built Form Conditions Building Systems

Security

• Security Cameras are located throughout the interior of the building. Refer to Figure 46.

Fire Safety

• The building has an upright sprinkler system. Refer to Figure 40.

• There is a fire alarm system with fire bells and pull stations. Refer to Figure 41.

• Fire extinguishers are located throughout the building. Refer to Figure 42.

• Emergency battery operated lighting is installed throughout the building and exit signs indicate where exits are located. Refer to Figure 43.

• The exit signs need to be updated as the requirements for exit signs have changed to green-lit signs. Refer to Figure 44.

• A fire panel is located at the south-west corner of the building (south-east on plan). Refer to Figure 45.

Figure 46

HVAC Figure 40

Figure 41

Figure 42

Figure 43

Figure 44

Figure 45

Sharon Murad

• HVAC systems are exposed and run along the ceiling and walls of the interior. Refer to Figure 47, 48, and 49.

• Controls are located in the M/E room located south-west of the building (south-east on plan).

Figure 47

Module 1: Assignment 1

Figure 48

Figure 49

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