Project Category: Infrastructure

We were commissioned by the City of Hamilton to conduct a feasibility study to determine whether Gage Park, an outdated staff and planting facility, should be renovated or replaced in order to best meet the City’s current needs. Working in collaboration with the City Facilities team, we consulted with users of the existing facility to establish a comprehensive set of program requirements and concurrently investigate the project’s opportunities and constraints. 

Our team advanced two design options — a renovation scheme and a replacement scheme — that manifest the City’s objectives: to create a facility that demonstrates a commitment to sustainability through Zero-Carbon design while enhancing functionality and delivering universal accessibility. To meet Zero-Carbon sustainability targets, our schemes incorporate materials that are low in embodied carbon and implement high-performance envelopes and systems to minimize or offset the building’s annual carbon emissions.

Our feasibility report for The Redevelopment of the Gage Park Staff Building presents two approaches: an extensive renovation of the existing facility and the construction of a new building within the same footprint. The report includes background information on the site and existing facility, a rationale for the redevelopment, a discussion of requirements and design considerations, functional and space program analyses, two conceptual designs with narrative explanations and visual representations, details of the Zero-Carbon design strategy for each option, Class D cost estimates for both options, and an evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.

True to its name, Pit Stop was conceived as a place of rest and respite. This transit staff facility is a dedicated space where hardworking bus drivers can unwind, recharge, and nourish themselves throughout the day. 

The massing and cladding work in concert to communicate vigour and velocity, mirroring the swift trajectory of a bus in motion. The bold and intentionally elongated triangular silhouette stands as a beacon of vitality amidst the otherwise unassuming suburban landscape, capturing the attention of passersby. Inside, the program responds to the needs of the transit workforce with a staff kitchen, lunchroom, and washrooms. 

More than a mere functional facility, Pit Stop transcends its utilitarian purpose to become a beacon of community connectivity and urban vitality. It is not just a rest stop, but also a symbol of innovation in the realm of public infrastructure.