PRESS RELEASE
October 12, 2007
For Immediate Release
Toronto - Three top Canadian architectural firms have been selected by the U of T Faculty of Law, Canada's pre-eminent law school, to produce conceptual designs for the renovation and expansion of its historic buildings. The first public presentation of the designs took place on Thursday, October 11th at an evening event for the faculty's alumni community and members of the Bloor and Queen's Park communities. For the full power point presentation, please click here.
Design principals of each of the three firms, Hariri Pontarini Architects and Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects, both of Toronto, and Saucier + Perrotte Architectes of Montreal, presented their schemes, answered questions and explained their vision for the faculty's important institutional setting.
The Faculty of Law is prominently located on Queen's Park Crescent, with grand boulevard views to Queen's Park and a direct connection to the bucolic Philosopher's Walk. The faculty is also the centre point of the University of Toronto's downtown campus, bridging the university's western and eastern buildings.
In describing the proposals, Dean Mayo Moran says that the designs incorporate elements that enhance the faculty's heritage buildings and its location along Philosopher's Walk, and that reflect a commitment to leading-edge environmental sustainability and physical accessibility.
The redevelopment of the Faculty of Law comes in response to external reviews carried out in 2001 and 2006 which called for significant upgrading of the law school, internationally acclaimed for its diverse faculty, highly sought-after students, and distinguished alumni.
Following an international request for proposals, the search committee narrowed several competing firms to a shortlist of three highly-acclaimed Canadian firms. Their submissions respond to the law school's ambition to build an inspired, enduring work of architecture - one that is environmentally intelligent and sensitively aligned to its remarkable civic setting.
The reinvented Faculty of Law will accommodate a conference centre for students and the law community, a constitutional centre, new student study space and faculty offices, and a new Centre for Professionalism, Ethics and Public Service, among other enhanced features.
Additional information and updates about the project and timelines can be found on the Faculty's web site.
For more information, please contact:
Jane Kidner, Assistant Dean - External Relations
University of Toronto Faculty of Law
78 Queen's Park, Toronto
(416) 978-6702
j.kidner@utoronto.ca
Laura Rosen Cohen
Communications Officer
Faculty of Law
(416) 946-5722
laura.rosencohen@utoronto.ca
