Robertson Martin Architects Tour
Robertson Martin Architects
216 Pretoria Ave, Ottawa, ON K1S 1X2, Canada
Ontario
45.4080884
-75.69064409999999
Description
Originally a blacksmith’s workshop, the renovated office building at 216 Pretoria Avenue stands as a testament to conservation, sustainable design, and excellence in timber construction. Wood was used throughout the design for conservation, structural, and aesthetic purposes.
The design for the new office space takes advantage of the existing structure; most of the existing wood framing was retained, as well as the original built-up wood slab floor from the blacksmith’s workshop, forming part of the ceiling in the lower level. The “warehouse floor” wood slab was preserved and repaired by infilling openings using custom milled white pine lumber, installed to match the existing in place. The new and old components of the floor are connected together using the traditional techniques used for the original floor construction. The roof over the main floor could not be retained due to structural issues and a poor building envelope. The cross-laminated timber panel roof deck is a contemporary version of the existing wood slab floor below and pay homage to the heritage of the building. The CLT roofing system was prefabricated and assembled on site in less than a day. The redesign of the office space recreates the honest industrial forms and heavy timber from the original blacksmith workshop.
Glue-laminated beams and Douglas fir columns form the core structural system, in combination with the existing wood perimeter framing. The key structural details seen throughout the office are the connections between the beams and columns, assembled using custom steel bases, flanges and bolts. One of the most innovative structural feats of the building is the three-storey CLT entry tower, complete with a suspended steel stair structure. The two elements form a powerful symbiotic relationship; the CLT walls provide the supporting structure for the main stair while the stair itself provides lateral shear resistance.
Using exposed wood also fulfilled the required fire-ratings for structural, wall, and floor elements; given the non-typical construction, calculations were prepared for building officials using data from the Canadian Wood Council and manufacturers to demonstrate compliance.
Aesthetically, wood’s warmth, lightweight appearance, and natural elegance play an important role in the building. Solid maple and birch and veneered plywood were chosen as the primary materials for cabinetry, millwork, doors, interior window sills and baseboards. The combination of wood elements with soft cream colored walls provides warmth and effectively tempers and reflects light to create an open, natural atelier space.
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Start:
2016-09-09T09:00:00-04:00
End:
2016-09-09T16:30:00-04:00
Category
Social
Tickets
General Admission
0.0
CAD