Design Intent
The new home of the elderly Sisters of St Joseph forms a sinuous line between the Don Valley to the north and the low-rise urban fabric of the city to the south. The four-storey building articulates both an individual contemplative life and the community engagement of the sisters’ ministries with a design focused on sustainability and a respect for nature. NAK Design Strategies developed a landscape design which expressed this relationship and a strong duality between indoor and outdoor spaces. Cor-ten steel-edged planters, wide pathways, and a long wooden bench echo the wave-like curves of the building. The tranquil setting is punctuated by a large reflective fountain and the movement of large swaths of ornamental grasses in the wind.
In cooperation with Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, this project’s goal is t further the work of bettering the lives of seniors in need within our communities. This project creates a community for seniors to connect while immersed in the beauty of nature, through it’s heavy integration with the project’s architecture and surrounding forestry.
The integration of nature and creating an eco-friendlily environment are central to this project. In accordance with the mission of the Sisters, they strive to care for the earth as they do their senior residents. Environmental sustainability is implemented through the building’s use of geothermal indoor temperature control, solar panels, rain-collecting barrels, and the re-use of runoff water to be used for a green roof.
Awards
2014 The Living City Environmental Awards
2014 Governor General’s Medal in Architecture
2014 World Architecture News Healthcare Awards, Best Hospital Upgrade
