Bahen Centre - Past Project
Year:
2002
Construction Type:
New Construction
Architect:
Diamond + Schmitt Architects
Awards:
2005 Building Magazine, Outside the box award – Honourable Mention, Urban Design
2004 Award of Excellence – Ontario Consulting Engineering Awards
2003 Toronto Architecture and Urban Design Award of Excellence
2003 OAA Award of Excellence
2003 Ontario Concrete Design Award – Cast-in-Place and Precast Concrete, Architectural Merit Award
2003 National Post Design Exchange Awards – Environments Bronze
2003 IESNA (Illuminating Engineering Society of North America) International Illumination Design Award of Merit
2002 OAA Award – Image – Sectional lighting study of atrium
2001 Canadian Architect Art of Cadd Award
Description
Credit: Roberta Baker
The Bahen Centre was constructed to meet the growing needs of the university’s computer science and electrical and computer engineering programs, as the university doubled the size and funding of the programs. The building was named after engineer John Bahen, president of the Peter Kiewit and Sons building company, who was the leading donor to the $108 million project. Jeffrey Skoll of eBay also donated $7 million.
The building was constructed at 40 St. George Street, immediately south of Russell Street, and wrapping around the Koffler Centre. This site had been home to several smaller structures. One of these historic buildings was slated to be moved, but was instead incorporated into the design by the architects. Another building, the former Mendel Granatstein residence designed by Benjamin Brown, was demolished but its entrance portico was saved for display in the lobby of the new building.[1] The facilities were officially opened October 8, 2002, after opening in the summer of 2002. The sixth floor however was finished only in August 2005 and the Department of Mathematics moved in.
Designed by Diamond + Schmitt Architects Incorporated, the 20,000 gross square meter facility cost $111 million to build. The January 2003 issue of Canadian Architect magazine dubbed the Bahen Centre as “a complex interweaving of urbanity, public space and sustainability.”