George Brown College marks major step as Limberlost Place nears completion

Ontario Construction News staff writer

George Brown College celebrated a major milestone on April 22, officially receiving the keys to Limberlost Place, its new 10-storey building made mostly from mass timber.

The building has reached what’s known as “substantial performance,” meaning itโ€™s mostly finished and can be used for its intended purpose. Final work is still underway before it opens fully to students and staff in September.

Limberlost Place is one of the first buildings of its kind in Ontario. It’s made using Canadian-sourced wood and built with sustainability in mind. The project was led by Moriyama Teshima Architects and Acton Ostry Architects, with construction by PCL. The college says the building meets environmental standards Toronto doesnโ€™t require until 2030.

โ€œThis building is a big step forwardโ€”not just for the college, but for sustainable construction across Canada,โ€ said Michelle McCollum, the collegeโ€™s vice-president of facilities and sustainability. โ€œItโ€™s designed to support both the planet and the people who use it.โ€

Limberlost Place will become the new home for George Brownโ€™s School of Architectural Studies this fall. It will also include a childcare centre, Indigenous student space, fitness centre, and a large shared workspace for students, staff and industry partners working on community and sustainability projects.

The college took an unusually open approach during construction, hosting more than 300 tours for other schools, companies and government officials to show how the building was being made. Nerys Rau, the project director, said the goal was to encourage more sustainable building practices across the country.

โ€œThere were risks involvedโ€”financial and otherwise,โ€ Rau said. โ€œBut we wanted to show whatโ€™s possible and be part of a bigger change in how we build in Canada.โ€

Limberlost Place has already had a broader impact. The Ontario government updated building rules to allow taller wood buildings like it, and engineers on the project developed new construction techniques that are now shared freely with others.

The project was supported by major donors, including Jack Cockwell and the Brookfield Partners Foundation, and transformed a former parking lot on Torontoโ€™s waterfront into a space for learning and innovation.

โ€œThis is the kind of project architects dream of,โ€ said Phil Silverstein, one of the architects leading the work. โ€œIt changed how we think about our workโ€”and hopefully helps others do the same.โ€

For more on Limberlost Placeโ€™s sustainable features, visit georgebrown.ca/limberlost.

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