Subscribe by RSS

Reflections on old and new

Monday, July 6, 2015
Back of Flavelle House is reflected in new windows of law library

Past and present: The back of Flavelle House is reflected in the new window tiles of the renovated law library.

A walk around the law school reveals the quick pace of envelope completion, with fins lining the entire Jackman and law library buildings.

 

Cranes working on the Queen's Park facade of the Jackman Law building, inserting fins for new windows

Two cranes set up on the Queen's Park Crescent side hold workers putting the finishing touches on the fins for the spectacular and contemporary Jackman Law building. These fins will be wrapped with limestone and new windows will be placed on either side.The windows will hold peaceful and refreshing views of the park right across the street.

 

top of vintage law school gate peaks over construction wall on west side of new building

Peeking just above the construction hoarding is the top of the antique law school wrought iron gate, a nod to the Faculty of Law's history on the University of Toronto campus. This gate will remain and become part of the new greenery design, which will incorporate a wide variety of native trees and shrubs, in keeping with the urban landscape.

 

Right before your eyes (VIDEO)

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Hard to believe the Jackman Law Building was once a set of architectural plans. After an initial delay, the construction is moving very quickly, on schedule, for its grand opening in 2016. Just as the entire University of Toronto has grown and evolved over the years, the Faculty of Law is undergoing its own, and long-overdue, transformation. See for yourself, in this time-lapse video from our webcam.

Watch the video:

Making our presence known

Thursday, May 14, 2015
Curving on the Queen's Park Crescent

East side of the Jackman Law Building, looking north on Queen's Park.

 

The superstructure of the Jackman Law Building now anchors the southwest quadrant of the Avenue Road and Bloor Street construction renaissance. Its spectacular curve is so clearly visible, as it graces the edges of Queen's Park Crescent. Soon this side will be covered with glass, as the envelope completion and window paneling makes its way around the building.

 

Courtyard law building construction

Here the you can see the envelope of the courtyard coming together, as the fins are set in place, waiting for glass panels.

 

 

New Moot court under construction

And this will be the new Moot Court, seen from the front of the classroom.

The rising curve on the Crescent

Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Jackman law building structure along Queen's Park Crescent

Under a tremendously azure blue sky, I took a walk around the site to snap some new photos.

How does one curve a building? Eastern's project manager Dean Walker says "It's a combination of curved materials to form slab edges and then segmented construction. The building will be curved, but none of the glass on this building is curved."

South end of construction site looking north to cantilevered section and law library

And here's another example of engineering finesse., looking north to the construction site from Hoskins Avenue. "The cantilevered portion of the building is supported by caisson foundations," explains Walker, "and heavy steel trusses." Can't wait to see the landscape design come to life under the cantilever and add to the natural beauty of Philosopher's Walk.

 

Facing Flavelle House and new Jackman Building behind it.

Old and new, Crescent Wing and Flavelle House. Our new facility will soon add to the structural gems in the Avenue Road and Bloor southwest quadrant, stay tuned!

 

Picture this

Monday, April 13, 2015
Reading room under construction

Eastern project manager Dean Walker captured this 'picture-perfect' image of what will be the reading room in the renovated Bora Laskin Library. An incredible view and an abundance of natural light will greet law students in this area for quiet study.

 

New Moot court under construction

The new Moot Court is coming together. The top tiers will have floor heating to prevent large swings in temperature. 

 

Level two under construction

You're looking south at the connection point of the library entrance and the Jackman Law Building. This view contains what will be the new south entrance to the law school (enshrouded in tarps right now) and the Moot Court. The slab has been poured and is being protected from the elements by the insulated blankets.

 

Level three under construction

On the third level: here's the metal deck which forms the bottom of the slab and is being prepared for concrete placement.

 

Photos: Dean Walker

 

Through the looking glass

Monday, March 23, 2015
workers place glass tiles up on the new building

Sunshine is helping to light up the shiny new glass tiles being laid out on the restored law library. One by one, the glass is carefully placed to envelop the exterior of the building, an exciting phase of construction.

 

workers place glass tiles up on the new building

You can envision a spectacular north-facing wall of glass here, looking out to the steps and green patch next to the Faculty of Music building, once this side of the law library wall is completed.

 

Meanwhile, on the inside, tarps are going up to prepare for the pouring of concrete floors. In the background, you can see the tiers of the new Moot Court room.

 

 

Here is one of the many new small meeting rooms being constructed in the law library to help with collaboration among students, faculty, staff and alumni. The outer side will also be glassed in.

 

Photos: Lucianna Ciccocioppo and Dean Walker

Truss time

Monday, February 9, 2015
Trusses going up on construction site

Photos by Sean Ingram

It's truss time at the Jackman Law Building construction site. The trusses are one of the more complicated engineering pieces to construct for this award-winning design, as they support the nine-metre, three-storey section of the building that will be 'floating' in mid-air.

Interestingly, when the entire three-storey cantilievered section is in place, the weight will pull the whole building about 20 mm to the south.

The trusses visible in these photos form the walls of the new Moot Court.

trusses going up on the contruction site

 

 

trusses going up on the contruction site

 

 

trusses going up on the contruction site

 

trusses going up on the contruction site

A curve on the Crescent

Thursday, January 8, 2015
View of west side of Jackman Law Building showing extension of streel framing curving along Queen's Park Crescent

The award-winning architectural design is really taking shape, as the Jackman Law Building continues its steel framing along the curve of Queen's Park Crescent, soon to reach the spectacular cantilevered section that will contain the Moot Court.

 

View of west side of Jackman Law Building showing extension of streel framing curving along Queen's Park Crescent

 

View of northwest side of Jackman Law Building showing extension of streel framing curving along Queen's Park Crescent

 

Close up of crew at work on steel framing extension along Queen's Park

Steel and snow

Friday, December 12, 2014
The Jackman Law building under construction

The steel superstructure of the North East corner of the Jackman building has been completed.  The photograph shows the three upper floors, the top two cantilevered over what will be the new entrance off Queen’s Park Crescent. 

At the far end of the photo you can just see the final section of foundation wall that has now been poured and which will help support the southern cantilever, which will contain the new Moot Court.

Core elevator construction

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Vertical shot of the elevator shaft.

Looking up, you can see the elevator core of the new Crescent Building, one of the major elements to make the law building fully accessible. As you can see, the forms are in place for the construction of the third level.

 

 

Photo: Michelle Yee

Faculty Blog
Subscribe by RSS