Aurora, Ontario
Completion Date: April 2010
Owner:Town of Aurora
Program: A three-level, 6,000-square-foot center for the Aurora Historical Society, located in the city's downtown historic district. The project—an adaptive reuse of a landmarked Victorian school more recently used for office space—provides a new home for the society's collection. Organized as two wings bracketing a central hall and staircase, the center includes galleries, archives, offices, and an auditorium, along with artifact storage and activity space in the basement.
Design Concept and Solution: Lynch + Comisso Architects sought to preserve the masonry structure and unclutter the interiors, which had been altered during the building's days as leased offices. In the entry hall on the second floor, the architects removed a fire partition to restore the original circulation of the school and installed a sprinkler system. Throughout the building they removed drop ceilings and restored the full-height tin ceilings underneath. To further open up the gallery spaces, Lynch + Comisso enlarged the entryways and fitted them with square maple arch millwork that mimics the proportions of the building's tall windows.
Total construction cost: $3.2 million
Architect:
Lynch + Comisso: Architecture + Light
570 Annette Street
Toronto, ON, M6S 2C2
PeopleOwner Architect Personnel in architect's firm who should receive special credit: Interior designer Engineer(s) Consultant(s) Cost Estimator: Mechanical constultant: Electrical consultant: General contractor Photographer(s) CAD system, project management, or other software used: |
ProductsWindows Interior Window Sashes: Laminated glass with Saflex PVB Inter Layer Interior Storefront: Alumicor Ltd. Glazing (see above) Hardware Hinges: Zero, Hagar Closers: Corbin Russwin Pulls: Corbin Russwin Cabinet hardware: Blum (hinges), Accuride (slides), Hafele (handles) Interior finishes Paints and stains: Benjamin-Moore Wallcoverings: Wolf Gordon Plastic laminate: Wilsonart, Formica Floor and wall tile: Daltile (washrooms) Resilient flooring: Flextile (kitchen and volunteer lounge),Johnsonite (stair treads) Carpet: Interface Flooring Basement Concrete Finishing: Euclid Tin Ceiling: Brian Greer’s Tin Ceilings, Brian Greer, (519) 743-9710 Furnishings Lighting Downlights: Lightolier Task lighting: WAC Exterior: BK, Lumec Plumbing Add any additional building components or special equipment that made a significant contribution to this project: Climate Control Rooms: Mitsubishi Window Shades: Sun Project Picture Hanging Rails: Hangit-Up Systems |
