Just completed, this custom home overlooking McKay Lake in Rockcliffe Park was one of just eight projects across North America to receive a NACA award in 2020. Copper was selected for this residence to evoke the long-standing heritage character of the Rockcliffe neighborhood and capital city of Ottawa. Stone and copper are a symbol of quality, durability, and prosperity in the city of Ottawa – and the use of these natural materials was key to both the design team and the Client.

The natural patina of the copper material amplifies its beauty with age, and provides a complimentary coloration to the light natural limestone also in play in this design. The copper paneling was designed with a mix of vertical and horizontal patterns to provide playful textures on the second-story volume of the house. The horizontal pattern was inspired by the unique stone coursing pattern that was created for the residence. The stone walls which shape the ground floor are designed to extend out into the landscape and serve as a natural stone base for the copper volumes of the second floor. The vertical copper fins and paneling, together with the rhythm of slender glazing modules, create a glass and copper lantern at night.

Congratulations to Hobin Architecture’s project team including Rheal Labelle, Kent Bugatsch and Barry Hobin, and a special “thank you” to Raymond Group for nominating the project. Photos by Steve Clifford.

To learn more about the award and its other recipients, view the full article on copper.org.

The post Rockcliffe Residence Receives North American Copper in Architecture Award appeared first on Hobin Architecture.

Chip is remembered as being a soft spoken, good humoured gentleman, and a fountain of knowledge in architectural history and anthropology. This Thanksgiving, the Hobin team gives thanks for bringing us together with Chip over the years; it has surely enriched us both professionally and personally. Read on as members of our team reflect on their time spent with Chip.

“Chip was such a wonderful person.  His contributions to our field trips were very special.  Some of the most memorable moments of our journeys together involved Chip. His knowledge and passion for architecture were obvious, but his connection to people and desire to share his passion with us will stay with us forever.  A true loss to the architectural community.”

—Doug Brooks, Partner

“Very sad to hear. Chip was always there to conduct tours for us whenever we asked, however far way from his hometown in Boston and he did so with such passion. A relationship that stretched back as far as 2001.”

—Reinhard Vogel, Director

“My first experience with Chip was at the Washington Mall. His story telling and sharing his knowledge of the history behind its layout was eye opening. He will be sorely missed.”

—Karen Griffith, Arch. Tech.

“Ahhhh… I was very fond of Chip. When we were in Pittsburgh, Sandy and I spent most of Sunday with him. …my favourite moment has to have been at the end of the Harvard/MIT tour when we went into the circular chapel and began to sing. He was a wonderful guy. He often talked of coming to Ottawa but it never happened.”

—Gord Lorimer, Partner

“Very sad news indeed. Chip always had so much to share, so much to teach and always had time for everyone.”

—Dan Henhoeffer, Associate

“Such sad news. Times with Chip on our trips are some of the fondest memories I have. He always had so many little thoughtful insights; I was amazed by all the things that he was up to and I would regularly seek him out when we wandered from destination to destination as I found I learned more in those “moments between the moments” than I could have ever learned in a classroom. I consider it a special privilege to have been able to meet such an amazing person. Rest in Peace, Chip.”

—Scott Labrosse, Arch. Tech.

The post Remembering Chip Piatti (1946-2020) appeared first on Hobin Architecture.

The new endowment, which was established in late 2019, is awarded annually by the Director of the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism, with recipients chosen on the basis of excellence in their fourth-year comprehensive studio project.

The jury, which included Barry Hobin (founding partner), Gordon Lorimer (partner), and Marc Thivierge (director), also recognized three other projects for their innovative ways of imagining the city by proposing new forms of urban housing.

It fills us with pride to bolster our community through this ongoing commendation of talent and hard work.

Read more on the school’s newsfeed.

The post The Hobin Prize in Architecture & City Building appeared first on Hobin Architecture.

• Station No. 36 located at 1935 Cyrville Road replaces the old No. 36 on Industrial Avenue.
• Station No. 55 located at 2283 Portobello Avenue, replaces the old No. 55 on Blair Road.

In November 2016, we were thrilled to announce that our firm was retained for the design of the two stations, as part of the Morley Hoppner Design-Build team. Construction began in April 2017, and officially launched with a Grand Opening event on February 1^st, 2018. Each station is equipped with a pumper truck and 16 personnel. These state-of-the-art new facilities have been built to LEED Gold standard and are undergoing the process of certification.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson attended the event stating, “The fire station consolidation reflects the ability of Ottawa Fire Stations to adapt to changing demographics and growth in Ottawa. These new stations improve the service’s current ability to meet its response standards and create a sustainable deployment model that will meet the needs of our communities for years to come.”

Councillor Stephen Blais also commented, “Having a new station like this in the heart of the community is a welcome addition to the surrounding neighbourhoods and will surely bring peace of mind to all Cumberland residents.”

Our team is proud to be an integral part of our growing Ottawa communities.

The post New fire stations open in Pineview and Cumberland appeared first on Hobin Architecture.

The cottage is clad in a palette of prefinished wood siding, Corten steel and natural Douglas Fir. Inside, glassy walls and a high vaulted ceiling blur the threshold between indoors and out. Like the river below, the stairs twist and turn around a rustic shelving unit and eventually lead to a bridge that crosses the space to the treehouse bedroom.

The electrical needs of the 1,360 sq.ft cottage are served by photovoltaic solar collectors on the steep south roof. A propane generator provides a backup for extended periods of cloudy weather. The deer take care of the lawn maintenance.

Principal Architect Gord Lorimer’s design for the cottage was inspired by the playful relationship between wilderness, place and form. The team also included Patrick Bisson, Project Architect, and Wayne Fralic, Senior Architectural Technologist.

The cottage was completed in 2014 and received a Housing Design Award in 2016 from the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA).

The post Cottage at Backwards Bay appeared first on Hobin Architecture.

Hobin Architecture is proud to announce that eleven of our projects have been named finalists in the adjudication process:

• Custom Urban Home (2,400 sq. ft. or less) Contemporary – Powell Avenue Residence
• Custom Urban Home (2,401 – 3,500 sq. ft. or less) Contemporary – Lantern on the Canal
• Custom Urban Home: Semi-detached – 280/282 Hinchey Avenue
• Custom Urban Home: Multi-Unit (3+ units) – Whitehaven Collection ll
• Low to Mid-Rise Building (6-80 units) – 12 Stirling Avenue Redevelopment
• Low Rise Unit – The Carriageway Townhome at Booth Street Central
• Low Rise Unit – The Jatoba Foxwood Condo at Fernbank Crossing
• Mid to High-Rise Unit – The Schoolhouse Loft at 12 Stirling
• Mid to High-Rise Unit – Model 14, The River Terraces at Greystone Village
• Custom Kitchen (241 sq. ft. or more) Contemporary $75,001 and over – Sophisticated Lounge Kitchen
• Custom Bathroom (101 sq. ft. or more) Contemporary – Refined Master Ensuite

Since 1951, GOHBA has been the voice of the building, land development and professional renovation industry. Making the list of finalists is a significant achievement for Hobin Architecture and is the result of incredible talent, dedication and teamwork.

Winners of the 2017 GOHBA Housing Design Awards will be announced at the gala dinner at the Shaw Centre on Saturday, October 21^st.

To learn more about the GOHBA organization, visit www.gohba.ca.

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Up next, phase two: a 13-storey, 184-unit residential rental building linked to the former Bethany Hope Centre. Bethany Hope was constructed in 1924 by the Salvation Army as a home for unwed mothers, and was recently given heritage designation because it was considered a good example of an early 20th century institutional building. Alterations to the heritage building will be minor, and include the upgrading of existing windows and the introduction of new windows on the east and west sides. The renovated building will be available for commercial leasing once complete, with tenancies that are expected to complement the residential components of the overall development. The second floor will contain four residential apartments, with direct access to the terrace level of the new tower.

The Hobin team was challenged to maintain the heritage of the site while designing a modern tower in behind, with an end product which will preserve and enhance the legacy of the site. The conceptual design for phase two started in January 2016, with construction on the new tower beginning in the winter of 2017. Completion is set for Fall 2018, and will be managed by Taggart Realty Management. The residential unit finishes will be significantly better than a typical rental unit; comparable to its neighbouring condo, it will include open concept one and two bedrooms, luxury vinyl plank flooring, designer kitchens with quartz countertops, and in-suite laundry.

The common outdoor areas will incorporate resident walkways with hard and soft landscaping, a gazebo and a shared entrance into an underground parking garage which serves the entire site. The large rooftop space will have private BBQ spaces, a party room/theatre with adjoining private BBQ terrace, yoga studio and gym. Many of the units will have balconies. Renters and homeowners will enjoy the spectacular location with views of the River and Gatineau Hills, ample amenities, and the added bonus that the property faces a permanent green space – one of the few remaining lawns along the Wellington Street corridor.

The redevelopment of 1140 Wellington West represents one of the many projects born of the Hobin-Taggart relationship. The companies have worked together on numerous single and multi-family residential site developments, low and high-rise buildings and commercial developments in and around Ottawa and Kingston since the 1980’s.

The team at Hobin Architecture responsible for the project includes Doug Brooks (partner in charge), Barry Hobin (partner–design), Doug Van Den Ham (design), Jeff Chaput (working drawings and contract admin), and Michelle Cataldo (working drawings).  To learn more about the first phase of the 1140 Wellington West redevelopment, visit www.tamarackwellington.com

The post Taggart Partners with Hobin on Hintonburg Redevelopment appeared first on Hobin Architecture.

OakWood’s new corporate headquarters, located at Trim Road and Highway 174 in Orleans, was designed by Hobin Architecture, one of Canada’s most respected architectural firms.

“We were pleased that Barry and his team wanted to take this project on with us,” explained OakWood President John Liptak. “We’ve worked with the Hobin team on a number of client projects so we knew they would understand our vision and really get what we wanted to achieve – and they did.”

The building is an elegant combination of glass, steel, stone, and new and reclaimed lumber that is visually stunning – both inside and out. Careful consideration was given to the way the space was designed to unite the corporate and customer requirements of the space.  “But we designed the space to be a bit of a showcase too – each bathroom is different, we included some reclaimed wood from the old building and incorporated it into the drop ceiling design in the main office areas,” explained Liptak.

The new building is one of four Ottawa locations for OakWood, but is its flagship in more ways than one. Though it consolidates head office operations and human resources, it is also home to a state-of-the-art showroom, unlike anything Ottawa has ever seen.

Both the corporate and showroom areas are warm and welcoming from the outside – with features like BC lumber to add unique visual charm while also providing some temper to daylighting, solid columns and generous windows, in addition to the exterior landscaping which features a breathtaking combination of stone, pond and bridge.

The interior design provides a cohesive, collaborative and high quality environment for staff. Space is abundant and the building is equipped with all the latest technologies to ensure clean airflow, comfort, and an overall sense of well-being that translates into a productive, results-driven staff. Glass-walled conference rooms and modular furniture complete the scene.

OakWood has been dedicated to pursuing standards of excellence for their clients for more than four generations. When the company decided to build a new head office, integrating sustainability, targeting LEED Platinum, providing a healthier environment for staff, and achieving a lower carbon footprint for the company as part of their commitment to excellence became integral parts of the project goals.

The Hobin team, including Patrick Bisson, Reinhard Vogel, Gord Lorimer and Barry Hobin, designed a space that would serve multiple objectives while incorporating sustainable green features and targeting that coveted LEED Platinum designation.

The showroom encourages customers to interact with OakWood’s certified in-house planning and design experts in a carefully imagined environment.  The showroom features a full range of concepts and materials, details and interactive planning and budgeting options that allow customers to see their vision in an applied setting.  “We have a variety of scenes to let the client imagine what is possible. Two kitchens showcase the range of options for finishes, appliances, and technology. Both kitchens are fully functional and we plan to host kitchen and cooking demonstrations here,” shared Liptak.

OakWood took advantage of the opportunity to create a technologically advanced building that exceeds the highest energy and environmental standards in Canada.

For example:

• The construction of the building was to take place on existing soil and care was given to ensure that construction would not change the composition of the property. Watershed was protected and any soil removed was relocated to another part of the property.
• All equipment was inspected before and after use to ensure that no fuel was leaking so as to not contaminate the property.
• To heat and cool the building, OakWood decided to use a geothermal system which draws water from twelve on-site wells.
• A weeping tile drainage system was installed around the entirety of the building so as to collect all of the building water runoff from rain and snow. The weeping tile ties into the building cistern where the collected water is fed to the facility’s toilets.
• All plumbing fixtures are low-flow and adhere to LEED standards.
• LG heating and cooling units are used in conjunction with the geothermal system. These transfer warm or cool air to the areas in need or from unit-to-unit without going back through the boilers.
• Solar panels mitigate hydro use.
• The entire building systems – heating, cooling, lighting, even security, can be controlled via state-of-the-art tablet applications allowing adjustments to be made in real time.
• All steel used in the building was mined and manufactured no more than 800 kilometers from the building. In fact, 90% of material used in the construction of the building was sourced locally and falls within the 800 kilometer range.
• All lumber is FSC-rated and comes from areas where trees are replanted for future use.
• All paints and adhesive have low or no VOC content.
• All electrical fixtures are LED.
• 35% fresh air is constantly being exchanged into the building.
• The air temperature is kept at a moderate 22.5 degrees.

Now complete, the building is in the process of obtaining LEED Platinum certification with the Canada Green Building Council, and staff and clients alike are already enjoying the benefits of a well-conceived space.

The post Project Spotlight: OakWood Headquarters appeared first on Hobin Architecture.

Although recently uncommon here in Ontario, the concept of blending K to 12 grade levels within a single structure is becoming more common. Blending levels allows the School Board to maximize resources such as technological assets, common space and human resources.  In this case, a single school was designed to combine General Panet High School, General Lake Public Elementary School and Pinecrest Public Elementary School, all of which were identified as requiring major renovations that proved to be cost prohibitive.  This allowed the Renfrew County District School Board to apply for funding to construct a new school on land donated by the Town of Petawawa.

The process included ongoing lobbying of the Ontario Ministry of Education by the Renfrew County District School Board so that the resulting school would be designed to serve the community in an effective long-term way. The original design was expanded to include additional classrooms and technology facilities. It was important throughout the process for the Hobin Team and the Renfrew County District School Board to be considerate of both the military and the distinctive culture of the community during both the design and construction phases.

“Through the process, the Board and our partners were motivated to work in a respectful and dignified fashion,” explained Brent McIntyre, Superintendent of Education – Program Services, Petawawa family of schools and Deep River, “Of course this is always the case, but I would suggest all parties were cognizant of the fact that we were constructing a school for the children of our Canadian soldiers – this made the project even more special.”

Originally scheduled to open in September 2012 and house 1,000 student spaces, expansion to Garrison Petawawa resulted in the Ministry of Education approving a modified programme that would serve 1,460 students.

The new two-storey, 126,000 square foot building features distinct elementary and secondary grade level zones. The geometry of the building is primarily composed of single-loaded corridors (having rooms only on one side) that surround the central quad-gym, with separate wings for the kindergarten and technical shops. Each corridor is colour-coded to serve as a queueing mechanism for the young students and visitors and, at their intersection, a flexible space for collaboration is provided. This has proven to be an asset when winter temperatures plummet and these collaboration spaces can be used for indoor recess.

The school is energy efficient and features a café- inspired cafeteria, a multi-sport gymnasium with the ability to be subdivided and a recessed stage, a media centre/library, full wireless connectivity and SMARTboard capacity in every classroom.

The ringed corridor around the gym is used as a fitness track, with each loop accounting for a 200m walk or run. The cafeteria is used during student pick-up times and as a gathering space for the community; a space that doesn’t exist elsewhere in Petawawa outside of the military base.

Classroom spaces were carefully designed to encourage and support academic excellence. Considerations include:  Spacious and functional science and technology lab, each well equipped with modern technology; a large gymnasium with four official sized basketball courts; Kindergarten spaces that lend themselves extremely well to play-based learning; primary, junior and intermediate classrooms incorporate spaces for collaborative and individual learning; and outdoor space that not only supports sportsmanship and play, but includes an outdoor classroom space to complement traditional learning.

In addition to the Valour School project, Hobin has supported the Renfrew County District School Board on other projects that include additions and repurposing of spaces as schools are changing to suit varied enrollment demands:

• An addition to A. J. Charbonneau Elementary School in Arnprior providing additional elementary classrooms and a licensed daycare
• Renovations to  Madawaska Valley High School in Barry’s Bay transforming the high school into a JK to 12 community school
• Renovations to  Mackenzie High School in Deep River transforming the high school into a JK to 12 community school
• Renovations to Renfrew Collegiate Institute in Renfrew, transforming the high school into a 7-12 school
• Renovations to Central Public School in Renfrew to accommodate a licensed daycare

Valour’s design supports teaching and learning innovation while making sure that although the junior and senior students alike are accommodated in distinctive spaces, they have access to a number of common areas that foster a culture of care and a family-like environment.

The Valour School project team from Hobin Architecture, led by Ms. Brawley, included Melanie Lamontagne, Doug Brooks, Steve Clifford, Reinhard Vogel, and Leila Emmrys. “Working with the Hobin team, and in particular Wendy, Doug, and Melanie, has been exceptional,” McIntyre continued “They truly lead with professionalism and have a tremendous customer-first disposition. They were responsive to our needs, patient with our questions and determined to ensure quality on every aspect of the project.”

The new school – suitably named Valour following substantial community input – can boast significant community support since opening its doors to students in 2015.

The post Project Spotlight: Valour School in Petawawa, Ontario appeared first on Hobin Architecture.

Incorporating contemporary, contextually-sensitive designs, the new fire stations will certainly become iconic buildings within their respective communities. Fire Station 36 will bring new life into an already established area off Cyrville Road in the Public Works Yard, while Fire Station 55 will be constructed on Portobello Drive, facing Brian Coburn Blvd, in an up-and-coming Orleans neighbourhood.

These state-of-the-art new facilities will also be constructed to meet the requirements for LEED Silver certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a popular rating system for buildings and homes, administered by the Canada Green Building Council, aiming to push the boundaries of sustainable building practices.

“The Design Build approach to these projects will offer opportunities for the creative collaboration of the City and our consultant and construction teams. Collaborative minds thrive on evolving creative solutions that will fuel the success of the new Fire Stations,” comments Doug Brooks, Principal-in-Charge for the projects. The projects were awarded following a design competition for the new buildings. Our winning proposal was the collaborative effort of Doug Brooks, Sandy Davis, Barry Hobin, Leila Emmrys, Rheal Labelle, Hugo Latreille and Steve Clifford.

The City of Ottawa was in full support of the addition of two new stations based on increasing demands, community growth and future development. Our team is delighted to be a part of the plan to help OFS better service the community. The stations are set to open in early 2018.

Stay tuned for updates as the projects get underway.

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