The dynamic form of the Pan Am Aquatics Centre,
Field House and the Canadian Sport
Institute Ontario is grounded in the landscape
of Canada and inspired by the dynamic sporting
activities it houses.
It is a civic gesture appropriate to world class
international events and a landmark
anchor for the community.
Throughout the Pan/Parapan Games
the iconic silhouette of the southern façade
is a backdrop to the excitement
of the main entry plaza a stage set for spectacle.
The dynamic forms extend into the building
defining the atrium along the spectator route
culminating in the dramatic dive tower.
The pool is fast and the facilities focused
on supporting the athletes in achieving
their full potential. The spectators
have great views enabling them to share
in the excitement of the athletic struggle
and personal achievement.
The field house is similarly designed
to seamlessly accommodate the fencing
and seated volleyball with fully accessible
spectators seating and playing fields
that set the stage for record breaking
performances.
The games legacy is an athletic facility
that invites the community in.
A safe and sheltered drop off / pick up zone
with lots of interior waiting space
and viewing galleries leads into
the public circulation system that is clear
and straight forward.
All entries lead to the atrium
the dynamic hub of the facility,
an interior plaza surrounded by the public
amenities and focused on the reception
and information kiosk.
Change rooms are commodious and adjacent
to the fields of play.
The athletic facilities are designed to remove
any barriers to full participation promoting
sports engagement at all levels and for all
community groups from recreational
to elite athletes.
The public circulation space is open
and day lit linking all corners of the building
in an open interconnected environment
that is airy, safe and secure.
Extensive windows bring natural light
and views into the sports facilities
in a manner that links the various rooms
to each other and connects the facility
to the outside world.
The building is conceptually transparent
putting all of the sporting venues and activities
on display inviting engagement
and participation.
The Canadian Sports Institute Ontario
is an integrated yet distinct facility
providing state of the art resources
to the support the development
of Canada's future elite athletes.
The Act 15 facility is a landmark
in the community. The building massing
and the landscaping design provide
a lively urban streetscape along
the public plaza and Morningside Avenue
with animated views into the interior
of the sporting venues.
Each of the facades grows out of the overall
sloping composition yet is unique
and composed to relate to the surrounding
context, from the glass box at the north west
corner of the complex that provides the CSIO
with a distinct identity, to the heroic canopy
on the east side with its dramatic v shaped
colonnade that shelters the vehicle drop off.
The resulting complex is a winning venue
for the games and the community,
now and long into the future.