Phase 2 of architectural school construction to begin in March

Meeting Friday, Laurentian University's board of governors awarded a $23.9 million contract for the construction of Phase 2 of the Laurentian School of Architecture. Work on the 55,000 square feet expansion of the Elgin Street school is expected to begin next month.

The contract was awarded to Bondfield Construction of Concord, Ont., after a competitive bidding process. Approximately 100 local tradespeople and labourers are expected to be involved in the 18-month construction project.

“Phase 2 of our Laurentian architecture project will see the completion of an important landmark in the city’s downtown core,” Laurentian president Dominic Giroux said in a news release.

“We are confident this building will be an extraordinary home for the architecture program.”

Designed by LGA Architectural Partners, the School of Architecture will be a unique building with two wings each with distinct and unique designs. The north wing, which will front on Elm Street, will be a steel framed structure containing mezzanines above the second floor.

The west wing will be a two-storey glued laminated timber (known as 'glulam') and Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) wood structure, marking the first large-scale use of CLT in a public building in Ontario. The two new wings will house classrooms and studio space, a lecture theatre, lounges and office areas, while creating an inner courtyard and a public walkway.

The first phase of construction consisted of renovating two heritage buildings that currently provide faculty and studio space for the Laurentian Architecture program, which officially launched in September.

“It is an exceptional and innovative design and we believe the final result will be an exciting, visually stunning addition to the cityscape,” said Laurentian Architecture’s founding director, Terrance Galvin. “The whole community is going to see this beautiful structure taking shape over the months to come, and I think it’s going to be thrilling to watch this dynamic process.”

Bondfield Construction is a family owned Canadian construction company with broad experience in public infrastructure projects, and is a leader in LEED and green energy construction.

Bondfield Construction’s portfolio includes the Queen’s School of Business, Kingston; the University of Guelph Engineering Complex; the University of Waterloo Science Building; Global Innovation Exchange, Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo; Georgian College Health and Wellness Centre in Barrie; Bishop Strachan School in Toronto; the Barrie Public Library, and the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts.