The new Headquarters for the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority in Toronto, Canada is in its design, construction, and operation is designed to be a part of the natural systems that govern the ecology of place, and point the way to a new type of sustainable development for Toronto. The premise of the design is that the nature and quality of human interaction is conditioned by the presence of Nature - the Ravine landscape in every moment of experiencing the TRCA offices. We have approached the project as an opportunity for Toronto to renovate, repair, re-imagine its relationship with Black Creek Ravine, part of the system of ravines that forms part of the unique ravine-scape of the City and of which the TRCA is guardian.

To achieve these objectives our evidence-based design process has organized an integrated design process around four primary Design Strands that reinforce the key concepts.

• Building Next to the Ravine – Create architecture that responds sensitively to the ravine context while expressing the mission of TRCA.

• Creating TRCA Workplace – Create a flexible, welcoming workplace with strong interconnectivity and physical and visual connections to nature.

• Comfortable Indoor Environment – Take full advantage of the unique natural setting to maximize access to and control of daylight, fresh air, and views for

The benefit of occupants’ comfort, health and productivity.

• Optimizing Energy Systems – Target exceptionally low energy performance of annual site energy consumption.

To execute these strands we have:

• leveraged data, simulations, physical and virtual models, prototypes, and calculations to create design solutions.

• Integrated Design Workshop methodology with the TRCA client body by identifying and melding specific synergies between systems, e.g. landscape, community and city, structure, daylight and permeability, landscape, facade and climate, water, movement, and mobility, and in addressing different elements of the project to create efficient, cost effective, solutions that allow the design of the TRCA HQ to emerge from a complex understanding of place, of workplace, and of environment.

• Testing and Prototyping using computer (empirical evidence) and physical models (physical evidence), and the environmental simulation model have been key to achieving the sustainability objectives of the project and commenced with the establishment of benchmarks of energy, and comfort and assessment of energy consumption in use. Physical models have been made at scales from 1:1000 to 1:20 to test, examine, visualize the assembly of complex integrated systems and constructions.

Fig. 1

Main entrance along Shoreham Drive, looking west towards the Blackcreek Ravine

Fig. 2

Assembly of the timber structure