EQUESTRIAN RIDING ARENA & STABLE

EQUESTRIAN RIDING ARENA & STABLE

Sitting at the edge of a valley adjacent to the Gore Road in Caledon, Ontario is a new saddle-shaped equestrian riding arena and modern stable, which directly links into a fully renovated, existing 10-stall horse stable. This charcoal grey metal-clad structure is built within the spirit of two familiar rural building types: the metal-clad agrarian industrial building and the traditional timber-framed barn, combining both architectural languages to form a new one. The long, v-shaped roof of the riding arena takes its inspiration from the horse saddle, whose two sloping halves programmatically separate the equestrian riding arena program from the new three-stall horse stable.

Covered in a mixture of wild grasses and clover, the roof carries forward the familiar material of the grassy valley, making a strong visual connection with nature and the landscape beyond. Externally, the riding arena selectively expresses openings into the building using timber highlights. On the west elevation, a combination of garage doors and corner windows leads to a large overhang, whereby horses can exit the riding arena to an adjacent outdoor riding facility, where the general public can watch. On the north and south sides of the riding arena, fully glazed garage doors open outwards to provide natural venting and safe riding within the arena. On the east side, the more steeply sloped roof of the three-stall horse stable expresses itself with corner windows and an abutting low shed roof.

After parking, visitors enter the facility by walking through a four-posted vine-covered timber trellis, from which they descend into a low-level courtyard, complete with an apple tree at its center. The main entrance at the base of the courtyard allows access to both horse stables through a new link, where one can walk their horse to the equestrian riding arena.

Hidden on the opposite side of the link at the south side of the existing stable, is the service yard and trellis-covered manure pit. Strategically, the existing stable and new link act as an architectural barrier separating the entrance from the service yard, thereby hiding the service yard from view.

LOCATION: Caledon, Ontario

ARCHITECT: LINEVISION Architects

DESIGN LEADERSHIP: Michael Poitras,
Principal-in-Charge of Design

CLIENT: Withheld

STATISTICS:

  • No. of storeys: 2
  • Floor area (indoor riding arena, new stable & breezeway):
    22,313.3 ft2 (2,073 m2)
  • Floor area (existing stable):
    2,526 ft2 (235 m2)
  • Total floor area:
    24,839.3 ft2 (2,308 m2)

MATERIALS:

  • Charcoal grey pre-finished corrugated metal (walls & low roofs)
  • Galvalume flashing and gutters
  • Board formed concrete
  • Douglas fir timber posts, beams & joists
  • Green roofs (natural grasses)
  • Crushed black granite
  • Cedar wood fences (painted black)
  • Circular galvalume vents
    (inspired by California modernist architect, Albert Frey)

GENERAL PROGRAM:

  • Equestrian riding arena
  • 3-stall horse stable
  • Existing 10-stall horse stable (renovated)
  • 2 wash bays
  • Tack room
  • Viewing room
  • Hay loft
  • Entrance trellis (vine covered)
  • Trellis-covered manure pit
  • Service yard
  • Hay barn (separate building)

COST: Withheld

COMPLETION: Project