Kingsway College School, Toronto
RETROFIT TEAM
ARCHITECT: Architecture Counsel Inc.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Jablonsky, Ast and Partners
MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: Crossey Engineering
CODE CONSULTANT: Arencon
ACOUSTICS: Swallow Acoustics Consultants Ltd., (613) 565-1800
MATERIALS
The material palette is inspired by nature and informed by biophilic design principles. Harsh angles are avoided in favor of curved glass enclosing the meeting rooms while a delicate overlay of leaves appears along the bottoms of glass walls.
The following is a sampling of materials used in the project:
EPOXY FLOORING: Sikafloor Morritex Broadcast System from Sika Canada
RUBBER FLOORING: Geniemat Fit70, Fusion Series, Ocean Blue, from Pliteq
LUXURY VINYL: #2112 Natural Oak, from True North Luxury Vinyl
STAIR FLOORING: White Oak with Custom Color by Barwood Flooring
WALL PANELS: White Oak Veneer with Custom Color/Finish by Woodlogix Interior
WOOD ACOUSTICAL CEILING: Geometrik
INTERIOR LIGHTING: LD4B, Neo-Ray and Metalux from Eaton,
Beam 4 Series from Axis Lighting, S ST Series from Pioneer Lighting, Orex from Kelvix, Pop Core Square 44 LED from Lumenwerx, IYO Small and Large Series from Ferro Light, C4 Cylinder Calculite from Signify, TT Top Tier from Cooper Lighting, and Basik and Studio Series from Sistemalux
THE RETROFIT
When representatives of Kingsway College School (KCS) decided to expand to include grades nine through 12, Architecture Counsel Inc. (ACi) was engaged to create an ambitious, phased master plan that would reflect the school’s unique vision and ambition. The first phase, which accommodates grades nine and 10, was completed in September 2022; the second phase now is underway.
The school is the only independent high school in Toronto to occupy 40,000 square feet of space on two levels of an existing 66-story condominium.
Breaking with conventional school architecture, the flexible, open-ended design eschews the typical classroom arrangement and enables the learning environment to operate more like a series of flexible social and innovation spaces. Although the space was originally slated for use by a major Canadian grocery chain, through a careful configuration of spaces in tandem with a democratic approach to natural light, ACi was able to transform the space to appear purpose-built.
The main entrance to KCS is on the second floor of the podium. Upon entering the grand, double-height reception area, visitors are greeted by an abundance of natural light with an elegant, wood-crafted feature stair anchoring the reception area. The generous stair width organizes the space, adds drama to the entry and functions as one of the many social spaces where students can gather.
To further animate the entry space, views are provided into the Market Place (an ambiently programmed social and event space), food kiosk, art studio, glazed meeting rooms, classrooms and breakout spaces. In addition, views of the developing cityscape and Lake Ontario are a benefit of the space.
Understanding that pedagogy continues to evolve, ACi’s design solution is flexible and open-ended, enabling the school to accommodate future enrollment and inspire generations of life-long learners.
PHOTOS: Scott Norsworthy unless otherwise noted