New Scarborough library a “green respite”

The library’s strategic position is intended to animate its surroundings by creating several distinct zones and connections. Near the library’s main entrance, slanting columns enliven a new plaza along Borough Drive. At the west end, a new urban garden graces the edges of a pedestrian walkway, creating a second front entrance to the Civic Centre. To the north, a gently sloped and planted ramp provides barrier-free access to the centre’s Albert Campbell Square. To the east, the library envelops three existing oak trees.

The building has also been designed to be technologically adaptable. To ensure maximum flexibility, as well as barrier-free accessibility, the open-concept building occupies one floor. All the tables and stacks are on wheels, to enable easy re-organization. The raised podium floor has a grid of moveable electrical and data connections that can be re-arranged as needed. The two separate rooms adjacent to the central hall — a digital innovation hub and a multi-purpose room — are portioned with glass walls to allow for visual continuity. Stacks ring a central gathering space, in close proximity to one another.

The project was undertaken by a team that included structural engineers Blackwell, mechanical and electrical engineers Enso Systems, civil engineers Fabian Papa, and Scott Torrance Landscape Architect Inc. Sub-contractors included Van Mechanical and Masters Electric. In terms of construction, James said Aquicon had to contend with “a very tight” sloped site with public activity on three sides and a stand of trees on the fourth. He said Aquicon’s “seasoned” site superintendent, Conrad Burden, had to carefully organize the sequence of work “to keep things moving and not get hemmed in.”

Construction got underway in April 2013 on the library, the 100th for the Toronto Public Library. It houses a collection of 40,000 books, audiobooks, magazines and DVDs in English, Chinese, Gujarati and Tamil.

Source: Daily Commercial News by ConstructConnect™