CNC and its architects have earned the 2012 Governor General Medal in Architecture for Phase II of its Quesnel campus.
The Technical Trades Centre, CNC Quesnel Campus was chosen as one of the top 12 architecture projects in Canada for 2012, out of a field of 166 projects.
“It was humbling, exciting and created a huge sense of accomplishment,” said Jim Hoyer, CNC Director of Facilities Services, after he attended the awards ceremony recently in Ottawa.
“This award is like getting an Olympic Gold Medal in the architecture arena, one can’t get any higher an acknowledgement than this.”
The 2,220 square meter (23,680 square feet) building was completed in March 2011 and is in the application process to attain LEED Gold certification.
The $9.8-million project was funded by the provincial and federal governments through the Stimulus Action Plan and Knowledge Infrastructure Program.
“We are absolutely delighted the building has received this award and truly honoured to share it with everyone involved in making this project a reality,” Steve MacFarlane, of omb office of mcfarlane biggar architects + designers inc. said.
“This is a proud moment for us all and we’re especially thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with the college once again and contribute to its continued success.”
The building was built by PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc. and is home to about 250 trades students in programs such as welding, carpentry, electrical, plumbing and power engineering.
The jury stated: Transformed by a series of big, bold moves that celebrate basic materials, modular construction and an industrial ethos, this modest programme for a technical trades college elevates the commonplace into the heroic. Embedded within the sober, stripped-back structure, a dignified and generous set of spaces form an uplifting environment for technical education and show how apparently ordinary buildings can be elevated into truly memorable architecture.
