Symbiosis

Aquatic Center, 2021-2022

Symbiosis

Aquatic Center
Integration Studio, 2021-2022

Location

Hamilton, ON
43.2559,-79.8701

Size

5700m2

Tools

Revit 2022
Rhinoceros 7
Grasshopper
Adobe Suite
Houdini
Vray 5

Project Description

Growth is a fundamental element existing on all scales of life. The City of Hamilton for example is rapidly growing into a destination for younger people looking to live affordably in the city. The large-scale growth of the city happens over time and is influenced by large-scale change factors such as economy and infrastructure. On a smaller scale, a person may also grow over time. Personal growth is only different from city-level growth in the quicker and smaller-scale of changes such as body and mind. In placing a growth-oriented program (YMCA), onto a growth-oriented site (Hamilton), what is the relationship between the two scales? How can a building be conducive to not just one scale of growth, but create a symbiotic relationship between multiple?

Symbiosis

The building mirrors small-scale growth, like the brain's neuron firing, in its facade, morphing small and large-scale growth in the city.

Human Scale

The growth of a human occurs in very fast moving and small-scale rates of change such as cellular growth.

City Scale

The growth of the city occurs in slow moving and large-scale rates of change such as large developments and master plans.

Distinctions

B+H Award For Academic Excellence ($5000)
FCCP (Ontario) Education Foundation Award ($1000)
Ryerson End of Year Show
325 Magaizne

A Symbiotic Relationship

Symbiosis aims to build a relationship between the projects site and program. The large scale city is experientially scaled down, while the small scale program is scaled up. While the aquatic space in a typical YMCA is often reached at the end of the building's hierarchy, the aquatic space in this case is expressed as a central element of the building. Serving as the center of program and growth, this concept shatters the division between small scale interior and large scale exterior.

Conceptual Exploration

(Click to enlarge and explore more)

An Urban Passage

The site, located between City Hall and Gore Park, is a gateway between two points of public activity. Rather than blocking this relationship off, the building embraces it with a public activity corridor. The coridor is activated by the buildings public program and animated by its facade which runs alongside the walkway. It acts as a funnel to draw people into the building while also maintaining and enhancing urban mobility.

Section A-A

Bringing The Outside In

The relationship between a person and their environment is amplified through the use of a sculpturally clad undulating steel structure extending from the origin of the aquatic space to the facade of the street. Not only does this gesture intend to bridge experiential scales, it also creates an upwards focused and light filled experience for swimmers. Additionally the shape of the structure allows it to harvest rainwater offsetting the cost of operating the pools over the lifecycle of the building.

Detail 1

Detail 2

Detail 3