Tour: Innovation Centre at Bayview Yards

The former City of Ottawa Public Workshops Building #4 at Bayview Yards is a heritage designated, circa 1941, industrial building on the western edge of downtown Ottawa. The retrofit and upgrade of the City Workshops Building #4 is an adaptive reuse with elements of preservation and restoration. The reinforced concrete frame, brickclad building can be described as an unadorned example of a Modern Style industrial building.

The building was designed by Barry J. Hobin & Associates Architects Ltd. The design conveys innovation, dynamics, industry and discovery and strives to inspire the tenants and visitors with a building that facilitates free thinking, provide spaces for conversation, social mixing and is configured, through careful manipulation of the space, to encourage random collisions and serendipitous meetings between a diverse group of people. The design of a new centre aligns the spirit of the building with the best intentions of the activities it accommodates.

The introduction of a light filled atrium and a feature stair creates a focal point from which all activities are seen and internal traffic is funnelled, creating greater potential for interaction. This interaction is embraced in the openness and landscape of the new connecting common area elements.

The design unifies the parts through a series of common experiences. The design of the common space and atrium brings together the various parts of the building to establish a natural centre. The design of the main entry has been enhanced by the strong visual connection through the stair atrium to the north concourse which provides long open views to the landscaped courtyard and creates a powerful unifying resource. The feature skylight and feature stair is driven by the desire to bring all users together through a shared visual and functional experience.

The building is targeting LEED Gold Certification.