The Toronto Police Services new 11 Division site is located within an urban mixed use neighborhood and includes a local school dating back to 1913. To maintain the symbolic significance of the site's existing building for the community, adaptive re-use strategies explored retention models with different spatial relationships between old and new.
The design approach takes advantage of the school's urban form to provide two social-civic spaces for the community: a landscaped entrance-plaza and a children's park. A landscape fence provides a green, private property boundary to the secure parking area while enhancing the streetscape.
The site incorporates numerous green building strategies including an extensive green roof, geothermal energy system, grey water reuse, rain water harvesting, water efficient landscape, and storage and collection of recyclables. The geothermal HVAC system avoids extensive rooftop equipment and minimizes ductwork.
