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Conestoga College School of Business Renovations
By : Gow Hastings Architects
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 17th edition
Discipline : Architecture
Categories : Public Building / Higher Education & Research Building : Silver Certification
The Doon Campus in Kitchener, Ontario, is Conestoga College’s first and largest campus. It is comprised of various interconnected wings. The modernization of the A and B Wings has provided renewed campus facilities and a showcase space for the School of Business, a diploma program encompassing business accounting, finance, marketing, sales, operations, and human resources management.
The existing building was constructed in 1970 with blank brick walls and minimal openings, resulting in dark and uninviting spaces. The renovation repurposes the original building, opening up the facade to bring in natural light and connect back to views of the surrounding woodlot. The renovation creates a new and welcoming entrance with a new showcase reception with School of Business branding, state-of-the-art flexible active classrooms that enhance recruitment, an open area for working and lounging, faculty offices, meeting rooms and support areas, updated public corridors, and a new IT server room.
The dramatic transformation of the west-facing façade involved partial removal of cladding, updated with a fully glazed aluminum curtain wall system and a new entrance that extends to shelter the transit stop, like a friendly open arm, inviting students in. One of the features of the façade is its unique frontage formed by angled, mirrored panels that establish a reflective design element that captures the surrounding sky, trees, and passing students.
Renovations altered the existing configuration, characterized by groups of departmental offices, opting for an open office concept with shared meeting rooms and support areas, a statement reception and waiting area, and touchdown stations for students and faculty. This switch to an open office has the added benefit of opening panoramic views of the adjacent pond and landscaped area outdoors.
Conestoga College’s School of Business transformation have created flexible learning and teaching spaces for the faculty and students that reflect the College and industry. This project is a demonstration of how the most sustainable things that architects can do is to find opportunities to breathe life back into old buildings.
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