VAUGHAN CIVIC CENTRE

While strategizing how to design a new civic centre for this competition entry in Vaughan, Ontario, it became apparent that a master plan was critical in order to organize the many components of this vast site and locate all of the requisite buildings.

With the competition rules requiring the existing civic centre to remain intact until its replacement was built and occupied, a five-part master plan was developed around it:

(1) We embellished Major Mackenzie Drive to become a new boulevard lined with both coniferous and deciduous trees, signaling its importance as a civic street.

(2) To the north, we increased the scale of proposed future buildings along Major Mackenzie Drive with a new mixed-use commercial development, appropriate for such a street.

(3) To the south, we created a pedestrian link starting on the east side of the site, at the historically designated Lord Beaverbrook House, traveling west through the future mixed-use institutional buildings (Cinemateque), through the new civic centre and concluding at the relocated GO Transit station at the site’s western boundary, thus linking all the buildings together in one simple gesture.

(4) We added a large pond south of the civic centre, adding a natural watery focal point for all buildings and adjacent houses to enjoy.

(5) We wrapped the pond with topography and planted trees, added a new five-court bocce ball pavilion as well as a seniors’ residence (Maple Manor Retirement Home), completing the vision for this master plan.

Note: For Vaughan Civic Centre building write-up, statistics, materials and general program, see Institutional Portfolio – Vaughan Civic Centre.

LOCATION: Vaughan, Ontario

ARCHITECT: Adamson Associates Architects

DESIGN LEADERSHIP: Michael Poitras,
Partner-in-Charge of Design (Adamson)

COMPETITION: Second Place

CLIENT: City of Vaughan