A striking angular silhouette will distinctly mark Limberlost Place on the George Brown College Waterfront Campus. The first-of-its-kind, ten-storey, tall wood academic facility is poised to break new ground with a revolutionary, larger span, exposed cross-laminated timber structure. A triple-height atrium featuring a series of ascending seat-stairs will function as a learning landscape and display learning processes to the surrounding neighbourhood. Innovative net zero-ready building components include a thermally-efficient prefabricated building envelope, rooftop photovoltaic panels and two soaring solar chimneys that will provide natural ventilation by drawing air up and through the building. The project is a collaboration of Moriyama & Teshima Architects and Acton Ostry Architects.
Limberlost Place
Toronto, Ontario
George Brown College
2024
16,250 m2

model
sustainability
LEED Gold target
awards & recognition
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
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 mezzanine

approach to central stair

mass wood central stair

classroom
sustainability
LEED Gold target
awards & recognition
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

construction

construction

view to mass wood central stair

east solar chimney social and study space

west solar chimney social and study space

sustainability institute

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