Gow Hastings Architects Use Rform on
Centre for Justice Leadership Project at Humber College in Toronto

Dedicated to the teaching of forensic science, Humber College's new Centre for Justice Leadership enables students to learn the art of fingerprint dusting and other investigation techniques including laser and video recording in a state-of-the-art forensics lab. Students will also study crime scenes and hone their investigative skills in the facility's tiered 45-seat theatre with a simulated one-bedroom apartment for the reenactment of crime scenes.

"Both the client and the contractor on this project were impressed with the transparency and record keeping abilities of Rform."

"The contract administration process was accessible to both the team on this project and our clients who were able to log on to Rform and determine the exact cost of the project at any given time."

Philip Hastings, OAA, MRAIC, LEED AP, Gow Hastings Architects Inc.

Part of the college's strategy to annex neighbouring buildings in order to expand its lakeshore campus, the 18,000 s.f. facility, will give new life to a former car dealership. The service area will be transformed into the crime scene investigations lab and the former showroom is being converted into classrooms.

The conventional façade of the dealership will be shrouded behind an aluminum screen with oblique proportions and a lush green living wall – swaths of which will be visible through large fissures in the screen. Inspired by the nature of the centre's activities, the new façade will give the building a simultaneously alluring and discrete appearance. The screen was also conceived to reduce the light levels that previously permeated the interior from the large showroom windows. The vertical garden will provide a soft, natural contrast to the sculptural shape of the screen and the campus' hard paving. At night the building will radiate an ambient glow from an LED sign that will project Humber's oversized word mark from behind the screen – adding both drama and safety to the surrounding area.

Inside, a variety of ceiling heights will pinch and expand the spaces. This strategy will further disguise the dealership, while creating the impression of spaciousness and providing the opportunity to conceal the light sources for atmospheric lighting.

Gow Hastings Architects is an award winning architecture and interior design firm founded in 2002 by partners Valerie Gow and Philip Hastings. The firm specializes in creating vocational spaces for colleges and universities that simulate real-life scenarios.

51 Wolseley Street, Suite 200
Toronto, ON M5T 1A4
Tel 416 920 0031
Fax 416 920 0288
www.gowhastings.com
info@gowhastings.com