CentrePlace Manitoba was commissioned by the Province of Manitoba, with a goal of creating a temporary Olympic pavilion that represented the energy of the province and its people while reinforcing its commitment to sustainability. Designed as a dynamic, uniquely Manitoban architectural statement that transcends the “white fabric tent”, the 232 m² (2500 square foot) pavilion was initially showcased at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Games as both an interactive exhibit space and as a venue for business and cultural receptions.

The design concept was initiated through a visioning session in June 2009 where Manitobans from diverse backgrounds came together to discuss what best represented the province they called home. The recurring themes drawn from this session gave the design team their starting point of creating an inviting space that drew upon the spirit and nature of the people of Manitoba. The simple contrast of wood and light became the basis for the creation of a pavilion that would become a beacon, welcoming visitors through a generous front porch and an oversized pivoting door.

The design team met client design objectives by making a number of strategic decisions to ensure that the project would showcase the province’s commitment to sustainability and provide a legacy building that would serve beyond the pavilion’s initial five-week purpose. One of the key objectives was to ensure Universal Design and Access. To achieve all these design requirements, CentrePlace Manitoba had to:

utilize Manitoba labour and regional materials

offer an interactive exhibit space showcasing Manitoba’s unique culture

be efficient in material use and energy consumption

be compact, transportable, and 100% reusable at a future site

favour passive systems over dedicated ones

The City of Timmins has a population of 45,000 but due to its location in northeastern Ontario, is a regional service centre for 100,000 people. It had become obvious that two major community services were in drastic need of improvement. The existing library, built in 1921, had served long and well but needed more space to provide a stimulating learning environment and more room for new technology so vital for engaging young people. The Canadian Mental Health Coalition, providing a range of social services for the community, needed more space to adequately provide assistance in the region.

The forest products sector is a vital part of the heritage, culture and economy of Timmins. For this reason, the City of Timmins wished, wherever economically justifiable, to incorporate wood products into the structure and appearance of the Library. In addition, there were obvious benefits to combining the library with the needs of the Coalition Centre offices of the Canadian Mental Health Coalition, funded by the Province of Ontario, and agreement was reached on combining these two buildings. The Coalition Centre has been named the Judy A. Shanks Integrated Services Building. The resulting landmark facility (Figure 1) is centrally located in Timmins, and with ample parking and barrier-free access, welcomes all the city’s and region’s residents.

The use of wood for the construction of fire halls has always been a viable option within the BC Building Code and is further supported by the fact that wood is a regionally based material.

The critical code requirement for buildings of this type is that they must be designed to post disaster standards, but need not be of non-combustible construction. In the two examples of fire halls showcased here, the extensive shear wall systems that are an essential component of post-disaster construction have been simply and economically constructed using built up wood members, tie downs and plywood sheathing.

The challenges come with the coordination of each discipline: architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical to position wood shear walls and structural components so that they become attributes to the design and so that services can run uninterrupted without compromising the post disaster standards.

The use of wood in these conditions has always served as well or better than other materials as wood is readily available and most trades are familiar with its installation and inherent properties.

Fire Chief Niels Holbek of Oyster River Fire Rescue noted that, “Wood provided a cost effective option for the construction of the hall to post disaster standard. (With) metal cladding on the exterior and the roof, drywall on the interior and a monitored alarm system concerns about fire and life safety are minimal. Whether subject to fire, earthquake or other natural forces, wood structures tend not to fail in the dramatic way that some other types of structures can.”