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Structural: Blackwell
Mechanical: Smith+Andersen
Electrical: Smith+Andersen
Civil: XX
Program
Aquatic Centre (6-Lane 25m Lap Pool, Leisure Pool, M/F/Universal Changerooms)
Additional Program
Gymnasium, Multipurpose Rooms, Community Kitchen, Art Rooms, Outdoor Program (Entry Plaza, Adjacent Existing Sports Park, Future Phased Tennis Courts, Walking Loop, Playground, Basketball Courts that Convert into Skating Pad)
Awards
2023 London Urban Design Awards – Civic Design
2023 LSTAR Don Smith Commercial Building Award
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2013 Ontario Association of Architects:
Design Excellence Award
2013 Toronto Urban Design Awards: Buildings in Context – Public: Award of Excellence
East Lions Community Centre
London, Ontario
MJMA master-planned the rejuvenation of East Lions Park and designed a new 42,200 sf community centre to replace an end-of-life outdoor pool located in the park. The project eschews the trend of consolidation and regionalization of infrastructure on peripheral or centralized drive-to sites and the attendant notion that ‘bigger is better’. It instead demonstrates how small-scale community buildings can have great impact and maintain an existing delicate ‘spirit of place’, while delivering an appropriately scaled and programmed facility that re-naturalizes its site and connects new and existing street and green infrastructure.
Conceived as a park pavilion, gathering and welcoming users on all sides, the facility’s design also drew inspiration from the local craft guilds who have spaces within it. The building is a tapestry that projects a singular iconic presence but is refined through texture, shadow, and light — to float, frame, and fit within the finer grain of the surrounding neighbuorhood and culture.
Collaboration
a+LiNK