TORONTO – Carpenters Union Local 249 Training Facility was one of nine wood projects celebrated at the 23rd annual Ontario Wood WORKS! Awards Night held at the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The Carpenters Union’s 25,000-square-foot building in Kingston designed by Shoalts and Zaback Architects, includes training, administration, and social spaces. Each of these three program elements is arranged into separate blocks with shared interior circulation spaces and an exterior courtyard. The training block includes a high bay workshop with an overhead crane, woodworking shops, and classrooms. The administration block contains reception, offices, secure records storage, and a lunchroom. The social block includes a multipurpose room with a kitchen and a boardroom.
The building celebrates the art and craft of the carpenters, showcasing examples of both traditional and modern work throughout the building. Examples include the use of heavy timber structures supplied by Timber Systems, custom wood entry doors at the main entrances, a bespoke 20-foot-long solid walnut boardroom table with a steel sub-structure, wood grills and lattice work, and fine millwork. The building design also highlights the integration of other materials and systems that are now part of the work of the Carpenters’ Union, as well as the work of the structural steel and masonry unions who also contributed to the project. All work was completed by union trades.
Steven Street, executive director of Ontario Wood WORKS!, said, “Collectively, the winning projects this year shine a light on the role that wood construction can play in addressing some of the larger challenges facing society today, notably housing supply, sustainability, and a shortage of skilled trades.”
“There are many reasons to build with wood,” Street added. “Strength, beauty, and versatility are certainly important considerations, but one of the primary drivers behind wood’s expanded use is its positive impact on construction schedules. Prefabricated wood systems can significantly increase construction efficiency and quality, delivering better buildings faster. Another key driver is sustainability. As society develops a deeper understanding of the carbon impacts of buildings, it is clear that wood systems have a critical role to play in reducing the embodied emissions of the built environment to achieve ambitious sustainability targets. Wood construction is transforming the way we build, helping mitigate climate change and providing sustainable construction solutions that are better for people and the environment.”
Have something to say? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.