To the new! To the old! To the seasoned veterans! Whatever your Warrior expertise may be, do you think you know the ins and outs of UWaterloo campus?
From the notoriously ugly to the hideously abstract, with buildings, Warriors don’t discriminate (and neither do the geese)! But us architectural engineering students have quite the reputation for being opinionated; and boy oh boy do I have lots of strongly held convictions. Here’s 5 of them!
5. Rodd Coutts Hall (RCH)
RCH has the same character inside that it does outside. If you’ve written an exam in RCH, you know that’s not a compliment.
Designed by Shore and Moffat in 1967, RCH is one of the oldest buildings on campus [1]. Its namesake is coined after esteemed electrical engineer, J. R. Coutts (BASc ’64, D.Eng.’07) [2]. In 1967, Coutts co-founded Teklogix International, a global provider of wireless real-time data transmissions [3].
Coutts would go on to donate over $7 million to the University of Waterloo [2].
4. Douglas Wright Engineering (DWE)
What’s worse than a box? A box with a poor building envelope, barely-there insulation, and badly sealed windows! DWE almost makes up for its massive thermal bridging through its legacy as the oldest building on campus [4].
After the termination of Jenkin and Wright’s contract, Shore and Moffat became the project’s architects. Their target construction end date was September 1958 which meant that in a measly 8 months of construction, DWE had to be up and running [4].
However, despite its innovative practices, the 1950s were coined as some of the worst years for Canadian construction. DWE was built using a popular mid-century brick-and-mortar technique. This meant that it used little to no insulation and boasted a poor HVAC system [4].
Did you know that DWE went through multiple name changes? When its doors first opened, it was called the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Building. Then, it became Engineering 1. More recently, it’s been renamed the Douglas Wright Engineering Building after UWaterloo’s first Dean of Engineering!
3. Mathematics and Computer (MC)
Hold back the angry hordes. Put away your pitchforks. The duct tape needs to go.
Just like math, brutalist architecture isn’t for everyone. Built after the post-war period (1968!), MC’s exposed concrete and distinctive fortress-like attributes provide an imposing presence [5].
Brutalism’s etymology can tell us lots about MC’s architectural forms. Brutalism stems from the French word béton brut, which literally means “raw concrete”. Pioneer architect, Le Corbusier, paved the way for Brutalism across Europe, with buildings characterized by their “brutal” appearance, use of raw material, lots of reinforced concrete and modular elements [6].
When I find myself frowning at the harsh, almost Orwellian exterior of MC, I am reminded of one of my favourite architecture quotes:
“Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.”
― Frank Gehry [8]
And that’s what Brutalism is all about. It emerged as a byproduct of a turbulent political landscape, fresh from the trenches of World War II. Brutalism reflected post-war ideologies, specifically those distrustful of new technologies, all whilst mirroring post-war reconstruction efforts amidst limited resources [7].
Brutalism makes a statement. Sometimes, it’s enough for architecture to do just that. Although, I’m sure some natural light wouldn’t besmirch MC’s big, bad reputation.
2. William David Computer Research Centre (DC)
My memories of DC consist of Chatime orders and loud whisperings in the “silent” study area. They also consist of drawing the distinctive columns present in its unique interior for a studio submission.
DC is undoubtedly the most playful building on campus. I would argue that it’s also one of the most beautiful.
DC was awarded to IKOY through a national architecture competition; construction was completed in 1988 [12]. Its façade was the first jumble of glass and metal on campus, thereby marking the arrival of a period of neo-modernist architectural ideals at UWaterloo.
IKOY designed DC to seemingly integrate electrical, mechanical and structural functions in its design. For example, its hollowcore floor slabs act as a structural component AND as air ducts that save the university over 40% in operational costs [12].
What’s more, DC functions as an integral resource for exposed connections, ductwork and plumbing that act as a learning experience for engineering students from all walks of life.
1. Environment 3 (EV3)
I see EV3 and I swoon.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) board did too; after all, EV3 is the first platinum-certified building located on an Ontario campus [9].
EV3 was built as an expansion of EV2 and EV1; construction was completed in August 2011. I suspect that EV3’s ample natural light might be why environmental students boast such bright smiles.
Structurally, EV3 acts as a case study for the intersection between sustainable design and lightweight steel cladding. The building’s façade is composed of corrugated steel panels, aluminum composite panels and masonry [10]. Its green glazing acts as a distinctive feature that alludes to its presence as the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED) and School of Planning [9].
EV3 isn’t dubbed the SEED hub for nothing! It houses an accessible green roof, solar panels that generate 67,000 kWh/year, a two-storey green wall that acts as a “living air filter” as well as high-efficiency lighting and sustainably sourced furniture [11].
Suffice it to say, EV3 is a prime example of interdisciplinary practices that pave the way for goals of net-zero by 2050. Its design also whimsically fiddles with a building’s structure, envelope and system in an unwittingly innovative way.
Notable Mention: Mathematics 4 (M4)
Is it cheating if the building isn’t technically on campus quite yet? Am I going to be traded to MathSoc for my heinous favouritism and anti-EngSoc leanings (I’m an EngSoc Commissioner).
What can I say? M4’s renderings have me weak at the knees.
Now go! Touch some grass and stare at buildings! UWaterloo has some architectural treasures; you have to just go looking for them.
References
[1] “J.R. Coutts Engineering Lecture Hall (RCH) – Waterloo, Ontario | university,” wikimapia.org. https://wikimapia.org/5969132/J-R-Coutts-Engineering-Lecture-Hall-RCH (accessed Aug. 01, 2024).
[2] “Roderick Coutts (BASc ’64, DEng ’07),” Alumni, Mar. 01, 2012. https://uwaterloo.ca/alumni/awardsandmedals/50th-anniversary-alumni-awards/roderick-coutts-basc-64-deng-07 (accessed Aug. 01, 2024).
[3] “Rod Coutts,” Wikipedia, Jul. 03, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Coutts (accessed Aug. 01, 2024).
[4] “Douglas Wright Engineering Building,” A History of University of Waterloo Architecture, Mar. 26, 2014. https://uwaterloohistory.wordpress.com/douglas-wright-engineering-building/ (accessed Aug. 01, 2024).
[5] “Math and Computer Building,” A History of University of Waterloo Architecture, Mar. 26, 2014. https://uwaterloohistory.wordpress.com/math-and-computer-building/ (accessed Aug. 01, 2024).
[6] J. Stewart, “Brutalism: What Is It and Why Is It Making a Comeback?,” My Modern Met, Dec. 04, 2018. https://mymodernmet.com/brutalist-architecture/ (accessed Aug. 02, 2024).
[7] “BRUTALISM,” architecture-history.org. http://architecture-history.org/schools/BRUTALISM.html (accessed Aug. 02, 2024).
[8] “‘Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.’ – Frank Gehry,” Create it Studio Architects. https://www.createitstudios.co.uk/architects-quotes/architecture-is-the-thoughtful-making-of-space-louis-kahn-jf668-jlss8-t657k-7s7t5-2bb57-5mnaj-shlln-l7yj3-3afyh-dp943#:~:text=.%E2%80%9D%20%2D%20Frank%20Gehry- (accessed Aug. 02, 2024).
[9] “Environment 3 (EV3) is LEED® platinum certified | Environment,” uwaterloo.ca. https://uwaterloo.ca/environment/about/ev3-leedr-platinum-certified (accessed Aug. 02, 2024).
[10] CSSBI, “EV3 BUILDING UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO Lightweight Steel Cladding Case Studies.” Available: https://cssbi.ca/assets/resources/Case_Studies/CS-72-12.pdf (accessed Aug. 02, 2024).
[11] “Environment 3 (EV3) is LEED® platinum certified | Environment,” uwaterloo.ca. https://uwaterloo.ca/environment/about/ev3-leedr-platinum-certified (accessed Aug. 02, 2024).
[12] “William Davis Computer Research Centre | IKOY Architects.” https://www.ikoy.com/project/william-davis-computer-research-centre/ (accessed Aug. 02, 2024).
[13] “U of Waterloo: Math 4 | UrbanToronto,” urbantoronto.ca. https://urbantoronto.ca/database/projects/u-waterloo-math-4.51873 (accessed Aug. 02, 2024).
[14] T. Boake, B. Arch, M. Arch, and L. Ap, “LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY: With or Without the Buy-In of Your School.” Accessed: Aug. 03, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.tboake.com/pdf/leveraging-technology.pdf (accessed Aug. 02, 2024).
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