EQUESTRIAN RIDING ARENA & STABLE

EQUESTRIAN RIDING ARENA & STABLE

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

Covered with a mixture of wild grasses and clover, the roof employs the familiar grassy material of the horse paddocks, making a strong visual connection with the surrounding natural landscape. Externally, the riding arena selectively expresses openings into the building through timber highlights. On the west elevation, a combination of corner windows and garage doors leads to a large overhang, whereby horses can exit the arena to an adjacent outdoor riding facility, where visitors 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 has corner windows with an abutting low shed roof.

Visitors can 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 for horse treats. The main entrance at the base of the courtyard gives access to both horse stables (east and west) through a new link, where one can walk their horse to the nearby equestrian riding arena.

Hidden on the opposite side of the link at the south side of the renovated existing stable, is the service yard and trellis-covered manure pit. Strategically, the renovated 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
  • Spanish cedar wood windows & doors
  • Black curtain wall windows & doors
  • Black pre-finished aluminum garage doors
  • 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)
  • Outdoor landscaping

COST: Withheld

COMPLETION: Project