Hosting a wide diversity of events, from sitting volleyball to modern pentathlon, the CIBC Pan Am/ Parapan Am Aquatics Centre and Field House (PAC) is the largest new sports facility built for the Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games. This multipurpose venue effectively brings together numerous programs and sports facilities – including pools, field house courts, running track, climbing wall, among many others – to create a landmark sports and recreation hub. In this post of “The Architects behind the Games” NORR Architects and Engineers, the Project Architect for this venue, shares with us the process of designing this multi-faceted sports centre.
As the Project Architect for the winning team, NORR’s role on the Pan Am Aquatic Centre, Field House and Canadian Sport Institute Ontario started with a six month pursuit phase, during which we digested and analyzed various elements including: the program requirements and illustrative design provided to all three competing teams; the specific site context; the city requirements; and the various ambitions of the multi-headed client group (City of Toronto, University of Toronto, the Toronto 2015 Pan Am committee, as well as the Canadian Sports Institute Ontario).
Using the deep understanding gained during the analysis phase and working alongside the construction team who were providing a price and delivery guarantee, NORR led a consulting team – including numerous speciality sub consultants – in an iterative and creative process involving numerous presentations to the client group and their compliance consulting team. The objective of this iterative process was to develop a solution that responded effectively to all of the competing requirements. The result was a winning design that balanced the right combination of good value, functionality, long term durability as well as satisfying the desire for a signature landmark, and design excellence.
Following the successful competition phase, and responding to the exacting deadline, NORR moved into a fast track process which required numerous aspects to occur simultaneously. In order to more fully understand the detailed requirements of the project – many of which could not be communicated through the competition documents – we had meetings with the various user groups which would be housed in the building. At the same time, we met with the city in order to achieve site plan and building permit approval, while concurrently producing construction documents in a phased manner in order to allow construction to start immediately and meet the ambitious schedule.
The resulting project, CIBC Pan Am/ Parapan Am Aquatics Centre and Field House, contains two 50 metre pools, a five metre deep diving tank, a four court field house, indoor running track, climbing wall, a high performance testing facility, conditioning rooms, studios, and a fitness centre. It was delivered on time and on budget, and features a number of distinctive elements and innovative strategies which respond to the competing requirements of this multi-sport facility.
The building is conceived as a dynamic landscape with sloping volumes inspired by the glacial geology of southern Ontario, a strategy that gives it its signature southern façade and inspires the custom patterns in the precast cladding, the internal lobby volume and the dive tower design. The sports floors are sunken one level below grade, filling a void created by the necessary removal of contaminated soil. This arrangement aids in separating the competitive athletes from the spectators during events, as well as giving spectator circulation extensive views over the sporting activities – hopefully inviting participation. Given its role as a facility for the Parapan Am Games, the Aquatics Centre and Field House is also one of the most accessible buildings in Canada, with universal change rooms, washrooms, flow through elevators and extra wide corridors. Natural light penetration was also a key deliverable, but had to be carefully managed to avoid glare as well as to achieve a bird friendly environment. A custom ceramic frit pattern was developed to meet this requirement while also celebrating the various sports activities within the building. The pools are designed to have fast water, responding to the competitive needs of the Pan Am Games, and the 50 metre practice pool features an adjustable floor level allowing it to be set at different heights for community use.
LED lighting, 1.3 acres of green roofs, and 2.2 acres of photo voltaic panels, and a geothermal field in combination with a modular heat pump chiller to smooth out peak seasonal loads, all contributed to the project surpassing the silver target and achieving LEED gold certification.
The venue also includes some unique temporary features designed to enhance the spectator experience during Games-time. Taking advantage of the summer timing of the Games – therefore the lack of snow load – the mid span columns have been removed from the aquatics centre’s temporary viewing enclosure providing a column free viewing area. Following the Games, the enclosure will be removed to provide a heroically scaled drop off for the community. The columns will also be reinstalled as part of the permanent exterior wall of glass and translucent panels, providing natural light and views into the swimming facilities to match the generous provisions already in place in the field house.
The results have been well received as Chris Pendergast, Manager Scarborough Swim Club, stated,
“The sports centre is the best aquatics facility in Canada and its right in Scarborough. The TPASC will mean great things for the Scarborough Swim Club but also for the community.”
For more information about NORR limited Architect, Engineers, Planners and the Pan Am Aquatics Centre please visit our web site at www.norr.com