Junction at Market Value

Laurentian University, Laurentian University School of Architecture, Sudbury

Project idea

The City of Toronto’s current urban development is driven largely by efforts to refurbish existing sites, or by the demolition of the existing fabric to construct new buildings. This thesis takes the position that adaptive reuse of the existing building stock is a more environmentally and socioculturally sustainable option. This thesis focuses on the site of the Toronto Weston Flea Market, a 60,000 square foot building that sits at the junction of three distinct neighbourhoods undergoing redevelopment for a new transit hub.

The context of the Toronto Weston Flea Market provides a unique opportunity to explore adaptive strategies that combine the sustainable and cultural attributes of the built environment, in a single urban and architectural design intervention. Strategies like reuse, adaptability, and low density contribute to the current discourse on climate change while preserving the existing fabric of surrounding neighbourhoods.

Keywords: Architecture, Adaptability, Adaptive Reuse, Canada, Development, Neighbourhoods, Toronto, Social Value, Cultural Value

Project description

Through a series of critical mapping diagrams, on-site documentation, and secondary sources, this thesis project creates an adaptive framework that connects the site’s physical context with the surrounding demographic. As a result, it creates adaptive strategies to convert the existing building into a mixed-use commercial community hub. Programmatic spaces such as a community centre, coworking spaces, a marketplace, cafe, clinic, warming station, and artist studios benefit the health and well-being of young families, couples, and first- and second-generation immigrants currently residing in the neighbourhoods. With a growing population in the surrounding community, this thesis develops an alternative to the current plans for an emerging transit improvement area through interventions that respond to the limited amenities surrounding the site, and urban spaces.

Technical information

Throughout this thesis project, Accoya Wood, Corten Steel, and Galvanized Metal are used on the exterior facade to add value to the building, converting it from its concrete wall panel character to a building with colour, and material qualities. These rainscreens improve the efficiency of the building while optimizing the new rectilinear massing proposed.

In the community centre, existing exterior walls are kept to minimize changes to the facade and window profile cuts. However, the entrances to the building are replaced to bring more light into the space, and invite new visitors. Windows are cut from the existing precast concrete panels using a saw-toothed saw to cut the profile while minimizing collateral damage to the envelope. In addition, the structural capabilities of the precast concrete panels are vital to removing and replacing new assemblies. The new openings will require new lintels above the masonry work for reinforcement and eventually tie the existing structure with new windows. After gutting the interior, the new walls of the community centre enclose to match the existing walls and form the core of the new mass. In addition, a vertical extension made of galvanized steel open up to the public through a vertical moveable screen to create a node that connects the community centre to the public realm with exterior concrete seating opening up to the soccer field for events.

Each of the facade treatments attach to the existing concrete facade to create a new identity for the existing Flea Market, and promote adaptive strategies through the structure of the building. The marketplace features a new extension using accoya wood cladding and a precast concrete roof. The existing interior structural concrete columns are kept to carry the load of the new roof, and reinforced with a steel beam to disperse the area over multiple point loads. Once complete, the walls are enclosed and urban corridors are cut from the mass of the building to create urban nodes to connect the new program to the urban spaces created as a result of subtracting from the building mass. A new metal structure, attached to the new exterior walls, facing the concrete seating, contrasts the existing interior concrete columns in an urban setting to connect users with the old and new parts of the existing building.

Documentation

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