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Cummings Library and Collaboratory, Mohawk College

Project Details

As a result of 30 years of growth, Mohawk College’s Fennell Campus lacked a central organization and a distinct entrance. The Cummings Library and Collaboratory emphasises orientation to the street, defining Mohawk’s relationship to the neighbourhood as the front door of the campus. The addition creates a central hub for student activity with sustainability and technology at the core of its design and day-to-day operation, expressing a fundamental shift in Mohawk’s philosophy about teaching and learning.

The design establishes a gateway to the College with iconic signage and a celebrated front entrance. Landscaped courtyards with hearty, native species animate street edges and a fully-glazed, two-storey curtain wall lights up Fennell Avenue with colour and student life. The design integrates a strong north-south link, connecting existing buildings and defining the campus’ organization. From the street entrance, visitors are drawn along the long, glazed spine flooded with natural light to the central student hub organized around a double-height biowall and open feature stairway.

Wired to adapt to changing technology, classrooms and the library are fully connected, multi-functional and provide a foundation for dynamic teaching. The Collaboratory provides students with flexible seating catering to both group and independent study, and computer stations provide students a comfortable space to work and interact. The introduction of informal, attractive places encourages students to gather and share ideas outside of the formal classroom setting. The space is filled with natural light tinted by colourful glazing, forming the façade facing Fennell Avenue. Exposing the bustling of student activity within signifies Mohawk’s identity as a community-facing, modern College.

The building serves as a ‘living lab’ for the Engineering Technology programs, with features including exposed mechanical and electrical systems and observer space within the central mechanical room, display of controls and manifolds for the in-slab heating system, and student access to photovoltaic panel arrays on the roof. Building monitoring systems allow for data collection of everything from energy, water and fresh air usage, to how the integrated green wall is performing.

Sustainable design and experiential learning were embedded into the fabric of the building, a result of close consultation with over 2,000 students.

The exterior finishes include local materials such as limestone from Owen Sound and recycled barn wood cladding, along with coloured glass accents. One of the building’s signature features is the custom-formed, mushroom-shaped columns visible through the glazed curtain wall. The interior is finished in a natural palette of wood, stone, and glass. Extensive use of concrete and thoughtful specifications reduce the use of raw materials and ensure optimal air quality.

Approximately 75% of the space is usable for academic programs, comparing to the industry average of between 40 to 50%. Efficiently designed, the student-focused hub promotes social interaction, collaboration, and collegiality that engage and encourage students to spend more time on campus.

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Project Details

Location

Hamilton, Ontario

Client

Mohawk College

Status

Complete, 2011

Size

48,500 sq.ft. (5,000 sq.m.)

Sustainability

LEED® Gold

Scope

Architecture, Interior Design

Design and Executive Architect: Zeidler

Awards

City of Hamilton Urban Design and Architecture Award – Award of Merit in Architecture & Sustainability, 2011

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