Awards of Excellence — 2013 Recipient | Royal Architectural Institute of Canada

Awards of Excellence — 2013 Recipient

The GlaxoSmithKline Administration Building
Quebec
QC
Award Category: 
Innovation in Architecture

Coarchitecture

The GlaxoSmithKline administration building is located in Quebec City’s Metro High Tech Park (Parque Technologique Métropolitain de Québec). The main sustainable design strategies applied were:

  • The building’s orientation, with two long facades facing due south and due north;
  • The use of an entirely timber frame;
  • A single geothermal system providing heat and cooling to the entire structure, with radiant floors (warm water) and chilled beams (coolant);
  • The use of natural ventilation for the interactive public spaces;
  • Revitalizing the site’s landscape by recreating the native ecosystem;
  • Use of a double-skinned envelope on the south-facing facade. 
Jury Comment(s): 

"This project demonstrates a high level of design integration of current technical strategies and excellence in architectural design."

"This project demonstrates a bold and clear design strategy by an integrated design team utilizing the best of current building design approaches/technologies."

"The technical design solutions are both comprehensive and multi-faceted."

"The project team have created an office workplace that would be a highly desirably environment to work in. This project can be used as a “primer” of quality workplace."

"The building is highly “readable” in it’s spatial and building systems expression."

"The mechanical air distribution and flow systems are very well researched and innovative."

"The project is designed as a whole system from the site design to the detailing of the component elements."

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Photos: Stéphane Groleau

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