University of Toronto has been constantly adding new faculty buildings. The recent addition to these buildings is the Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research (CCBR). The unique structure designed by the Behnisch & Partner and arch
In the last few years, University of Toronto has been constantly adding new faculty buildings. The recent addition to these buildings is the Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research (CCBR). The unique structure designed by the Behnisch & Partner and architectsAlliance, stands on the urban landscape as a representation of 20th century architectural sophistication and construction methods. Though, the building is an example of 20th century architectural aesthetics, the design demonstrates a strong connection to the work of Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe. The open concept floor plan, the composition of architectural elements and the perceptional characteristics of the materials show similarities towards the free-plan of Le Corbusier and the Barcelona Pavilion by Mies van der Rohe.
In order to understand these similarities, it is essential for one to be familiar with the intriguing design of the CCBR. The 221,120 square-foot building consists of ten open concept floors for the use of medical and pharmaceutical researchers. The entire structure of the building is covered in glass. The double-south glass façade provides the strong control of daylight, depending on the specific research requirements. Similarly, the east, west and north facades are also patterned with laminated glass. There are soaring bamboo planted atriums, every third floor. The plants, as high as 12 meters, provide research facilities for students, researchers and staff. The marble floors, free standing columns and the concrete walls are seen through-out the building. The connecting pathways to surrounding older buildings-the Medical science building, the Fitzgerald building and Roseburg building- complete this project.
The floor plan of CCBR provides large amounts of open space on each floor, with well executed enclosed areas. This open-concept floor plan of the CCBR involves several ideas similar to Le Corbusier's free-plan. In brief, the characteristics of the free-plan include columns supported floor-slabs, free arrangement of walls and columns, and freedom of façade design.
The concept of a free façade and columns supported ceilings is fully evident in the design of CCBR. The exterior structure of the building is made from glass & steel and not joined to the flat floor-slabs. This emphasizes that ...
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The floor plan of CCBR provides large amounts of open space on each floor, with well executed enclosed areas. This open-concept floor plan of the CCBR involves several ideas similar to Le Corbusier's free-plan. In brief, the characteristics of the free-plan include columns supported floor-slabs, free arrangement of walls and columns, and freedom of façade design.
The concept of a free façade and columns supported ceilings is fully evident in the design of CCBR. The exterior structure of the building is made from glass & steel and not joined to the flat floor-slabs. This emphasizes that the exterior glass frame is an independent component in the spatial composition of the building. In other words, the arrangement of the exterior frame is not in relation to the wait load of the floor-slabs. In this case, the wait of the floor-slabs is carried by the free standing cylinder columns, arranged in a symmetrical composition on the ground floor. This composition of independent structure and floor-slabs supported by columns is similar to the free-plan presented by Le Corbusier in his Dom-ino project.
The free arrangement of interior walls and columns is also clear in the CCBR. There is an asymmetrical composition of the enclosed rooms, but still well executed so it does not interfere with the open concept floor plan. There is suitable space between each wall, to allow rapid movement through the space. Leading from the entrance to the rear of the building, there is an open pathway, emphasizing the spatial composition of the building. There are large open floor areas on the entrance and rear, to balance the enclosed rooms in the center of the ground floor. The solid walls are thin in thickness, appearing as screens. These screens walls are not joined to the ceiling, reflecting the concept of free arrangement of walls with no regard to the wait of the ceiling. Once again, this free design of ground plan can be related to the free-plan presented by Le Corbusier. Lastly, the use of concrete for columns and few walls in the CCBR, also replicate the use of concrete and steel by Le Corbusier in his work. Thus, characteristics found in the open-concept ground plan of the CCBR, show likeness of the free-plan by Le Corbusier.
Aside from Le Corbusier's free-plan, the materials and composition of CCBR also represent similarities of the Barcelona Pavilion by Mies van der Rohe. The relationship of interior to the exterior was extremely important in the design of Barcelona Pavilion. Mies designed the composition in which the outdoor courtyards appeared to be part of the interior. This relationship of interior to exterior, unfolds at two positions in the CCBR. Firstly, the ground floor consists of two atriums, which are at the same ground level as the terrazzo floor. Secondly, the glass façade allows an unobstructed view of the outside, creating a picturesque view of the surrounding buildings and the street. Moreover, the exterior sidewalk areas and the tiles used in the interior floor are in the same colour tone, creating a continuous flow between the interior and the exterior. Thus, this composition of the atriums in the interior and the glass façade, represent the sense of expanding to the nature and commingling it with the spatial composition of the building, alike the courtyards and the glass partitions in the Barcelona Pavilion.
The wall arrangement of Barcelona Pavilion was based on free-standing panels, where the wall panels turn back on themselves to form open courts. The curved walls in the CCBR also resemble this pattern. It particularly becomes evident as one move's through the enclosed rooms and experiences the pathway created by the curved walls. For instance, when entering the public washroom on the ground floor, the visitor is encountered by a solid wall at the end of the pathway, but upon a step to the right, the wall opens to another large area, creating the similar effect as the free-standing panels of Barcelona Pavilion.
The materials used in CCBR definitely present similar perceptions as those experienced in Mies van der Rohe's work. As mentioned earlier, the use of glass allows strong control of daylight and as a result the experience of natural light for user is according to their need. Moreover, the glass facade penetrates natural light in different shadows, range and amount, creating different perceptions throughout the day, similar to the Mies van der Rohe's Glass towers. Even though, the CCBR is a high rise plaza, the transparent glass and steel structure eliminates the sense of heavy solid facade, as a result the building doesn't feel especially high. Moreover, the use of factory manufactured wood paneling and mosaic also take place of heavy ornamentation and detailing, similar to the concept presented by the polished marble and chrome columns in Barcelona Pavilion. Therefore, it is evident that the features of the Barcelona Pavilion can easily be related to the design of CCBR.
In sum, all the above mentioned features of the CCBR demonstrate a strong relationship towards the Barcelona Pavilion by Mies van der Rohe and the free-plan by Le Corbusier. The characteristics of Le Corbusier's free-plan are easily evident through the open concept floor plan of the building. The relationship of exterior to interior enhanced by the glass facade, remind one of the Barcelona Pavilion. Lastly, the materials used in the CCBR, manage to create perceptions alike those created by the materials used in Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier's projects. As a result, the CCBR is a unique architectural landmark of the 20th century and a building that reflects on earlier projects in modern architecture period.
