Masonry Magazine January 1976 Page.31
Ontario Awards of Merit
POSTAL STATION G
Toronto, Canada
Architect: Public Works Canada, Ontario Region
Consulting Structural Engineer: Public Works Canada
General Contractor: Edelstein Construction Ltd.
Mason Contractor: Clifford Masonry Ltd.
Unit Masonry Manufacturers: Toronto Brick Co., Primeau Argo Block Co. Ltd.
Jury Comments: A superb example of dealing with a brick cube; a simple, bold concept skillfully executed. Details such as the corners being cut out, the careful attention to the sills, the location of the control joints, the cladding of the penthouse in brick and the sloping window base at street level, together with the coursing and sensitive selection in the range of brick, all go to make a fine building.
The building is extremely well related in scale and character to the street, where the simple and well placed graphics both communicate and form part of the streetscape. The jury was very disappointed, however, in the complete lack of attention to the interiors. The excellence ends at the entrance-very unfortunate.
Innovative Masonry
burban office building. Even at the low $23 figure, the architect was even able to provide such amenities as two atria-one on either side of the core."
Architect J. Victor Neuhaus, III, FAIA, said, "The client requested approximately 115,000 sq. ft. of speculative office space in a medium rise building which would compliment the buildings in the immediate vicinity while maintaining its own dignity. Careful consideration was given to siting the building in order to preserve as much of the existing foliage as possible. Parking was to be housed in a separate facility, connected by an enclosed passageway at the basement level and an open bridge at the first floor level." The owner is Gerald D. Hines Interests.
Architect Neuhaus indicated to IMI that, "The five-story office building contains 21,502 gross sq. ft. at levels 1-5, with an additional 11,033 sq. ft. in the basement. The large floor areas provide a high degree of flexibility for large and small tenants. Partitions, door frames, lights, air conditioning devices and power sources are designed to provide ease of movement and rearrangement to suit the varying tenant requirements.
"The exterior and interior of the building were finished with a dark brown brick; this color scheme and finish are carried through all public spaces, including the interior finish of the exterior walls. The entrance lobby and public areas of the first floor are finished with a dark bronze brick paver that matches the building brick; there is a laminated birchwood handrail surrounding the atrium at all five levels. The main entrance is placed at a 45-degree angle to the street with doors and all aluminum trim finished in a medium bronze duronodic color. The aluminum trim and bronze glass at the entrance extend from the first floor to the roof.
"There are two landscaped atria which extend from the first floor to the roof where they are topped off by aluminum trimmed skylights. The two atria are separated by the core of the building, containing elevators, firestairs, mechanical rooms, and restrooms.
"The exterior and interior loadbearing walls were formed in brick lifts approximately 4-ft. high before concrete was poured into the cavities. Bar joists and steel beams were imbedded and secured to the reinforced walls. Part of the first floor and all of levels 2-5 are composed of corrugated iron with 3-in. of reinforced concrete. The method used in building the loadbearing walls provided smooth, clean walls with no projecting pilasters or columns. The roof was constructed much like the typical floors. Insulating concrete was used for the roof in lieu of structural concrete used on typical floors."
After observing a minister match coins with a member to see who would pay for the coffee, a bystander asked, "Pastor, doesn't that constitute gambling?"
The pastor replied, "Not at all. It's merely a scientific method of determining who is going to commit an act of charity."
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