Acton Ostry Architects

Limberlost Place is a ten-storey, tall wood academic building that is currently under construction on the George Brown College Waterfront Campus in Toronto. This first-of-its-kind mass timber building features a revolutionary exposed cross-laminated timber and glulam structure with a striking, angular rooftop silhouette. A triple-height atrium with a series of cascading seat-stairs will display learning activities to the surrounding neighbourhood. Innovative net zero-ready building components include a thermally-efficient prefabricated building envelope, deep lake water cooling, rooftop photovoltaic panels and two soaring natural ventilation solar chimneys that will draw air up and through the building. The project is a collaboration of Moriyama & Teshima Architects and Acton Ostry Architects.

project

Limberlost Place

location

Toronto, Ontario

client

George Brown College

completion

2024

size

16,250 m2

model.

model

sustainability

LEED Gold target

awards & recognition

2023
Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Research & Innovation Award
Architizer A+ Awards Unbuilt Sustainable Project Jury Winner

2022
World Architecture Festival WAFX Award
WAF Future Projects Education Award – Shortlist
Waterfront Toronto Excellence in Design Innovation Award

2021
Ontario Engineering Projects Award of Excellence

2019
WAN Awards Future Projects Gold
Azure Magazine Unbuilt Building Award
Azure Magazine Unbuilt Building People’s Choice Award
MIPIM & Architectural Review Future Project Award

2018
Rethinking the Future Architecture, Construction & Design Award
Canadian Architect Award of Excellence

Queens Quay sunset.

Queens Quay sunset

George Brown College is poised to transform Toronto’s skyline with the construction of Limberlost Place, a tall-wood net-zero carbon emissions building. The ten-storey mass timber structure will be the first academic building of its kind in Ontario.

George Brown College

learning landscape atrium.

learning landscape atrium

learning landscape mezzanine.

learning landscape mezzanine

approach to central stair.

approach to central stair

mass wood central stair.

mass wood central stair

classroom.

classroom

construction.

construction

construction.

construction

pedestrian bridge construction.

pedestrian bridge construction

east solar chimney social and study space.

east solar chimney social and study space

west solar chimney social and study space.

west solar chimney social and study space

sustainability institute.

sustainability institute

tall timber angled apex.

tall timber angled apex

The design is a very clean execution of the program, targeting net-zero energy, achieving resiliency, and using smart-building technologies in a mass timber structure. The project presents the possibility of longer span wood structures becoming a viable option in the mass wood market.

Canadian Architect Awards