Limberlost广场活动中心丨加拿大多伦多丨Moriyama Teshima Architects等

位于多伦多滨水区的Limberlost广场活动中心，或许是全球首个公共高层木结构建筑——这一技术里程碑同时也提升了建筑艺术的表达。该项目由Moriyama Teshima Architects与Acton Ostry Architects联合设计，通过由George Brown College发起的国际竞赛中标，目标是打造一座在设计、技术与可持续性方面达到全球最高标准的建筑。乔治布朗学院希望借此展示其在可持续发展与气候意识方面的领导力，使建筑既成为学生的“活实验室”，也成为加拿大高层木结构产业的展示平台。

Limberlost Place, on Toronto’s waterfront, is perhaps the world’s first public tall timber building-a technical landmark that also elevates the art of architecture. Designed by Moriyama leshima Architects in joint venture with Acton Ostry Architects, the project was selected via an international competition hosted by George Brown College for a building that would achieve the highest global standards for design, technology, and sustainability. George Brown set out to demonstrate its leadership in sustainability and climate-consciousness with a state-of-the-art building that would serve as a living laboratory for students and a showpiece for Canada’s tall timber construction industry.

▼项目与城市鸟瞰，aerial view of the project and the site© doublespace photography

▼项目半鸟瞰，half-aerial view of the project© doublespace photography

▼街景，street view© doublespace photography

▼场地夜景鸟瞰，night view of the project© doublespace photography

这座10层的大规模木结构建筑包含乔治布朗学院建筑研究学院的教学空间、其Brookfield可持续发展研究所，以及学院行政办公室、健身中心、托儿所和活动空间。Limberlost广场活动中心的设计呼应了场地的原住民名称Tkaronto——意为“水中伫立着树木的地方”，同时强化了多伦多市将快速发展的东部滨水区转变为生态响应性强、具有建筑标志性且以步行为导向的城市空间的整体愿景。建筑可容纳3,400名学生，预计将成为该区域活力的重要推动者。其铜色立面与雕塑感屋顶塑造出鲜明的地标形象，朝向城市的窗洞则展现出温暖的木结构内部。▼分析图，analysis diagram©Moriyama Teshima Architects

The 10-storey mass timber building includes classrooms for George Brown College’s School of Architectural Studies, its Brooktield Sustainability Institute, as well as the College’s executive offices, a fitness centre, a daycare, and an event space. Limberlost Place’s design references the site’s Indigenous name-Tkaronto, “where there are trees standing in the water”-and reinforces the City of Toronto’s broader vision to transform a rapidly developing eastern waterfront district into an ecologically responsive, architecturally striking, pedestrian-oriented urban realm. With capacity for 3,400 students, the building is expected to become a key contributor to the district’s vitality. Its bold copper-toned façade and sculptural roofline give the building a landmark presence, and its city-facing windows offer generous views into its warm interior wood structure.

▼大堂，lobby© doublespace photography

▼通高空间，the atrium© Tom Arban

▼突出的室内阳台，interior balcony© doublespace photography

入口处，高耸的全木“学习景观”在物理与精神层面上提升空间体验：巨大的黑云杉柱——最大重达22,000磅——如同森林中的参天树木般挺立；木质百叶表面将自然光柔化。雕塑般的楼梯鼓励使用者步行穿行于建筑之中。丰富的感官体验贯穿始终——不仅来自木材的视觉与气味，还包括可开启窗户、充足的自然采光，以及两座贯穿九层的太阳能烟囱，通过无能耗的被动通风系统引入新鲜空气。建筑内部设置“呼吸空间”，配以橡木书桌、舒缓的声学环境与直观的导视系统，提升健康与专注度。顶部的Limberlost活动空间则提供俯瞰湖景与城市天际线的全景视野。

At entry, the soaring all-wood Learning Landscape physically and spiritually uplifts: monumental black spruce columns, the largest weighing 22,000 pounds, rise like tall forest trees. Slatted wood surfaces dapple daylight. A sculptural stair encourages users to rise through the building on foot. Sensory richness continues-not only through the natural appearance and even the smell of the wood, but also through operable windows, abundant natural light, and two nine-storey solar chimneys, which deliver fresh air via energy-free passive ventilation. Quiet “breathing rooms” enhance the journey up the building, with oak desks, calming acoustics, and intuitive wayfinding that supports wellness and focus. Crowning the building, the Limberlost Event Space offers panoramic vistas of the lake and skyline.

▼楼梯，staircase© doublespace photography

▼木质百叶表面将自然光柔化，the wooden blinds will soften the natural light © doublespace photography

▼建筑内部设置“呼吸空间”，the interior of the building is equipped with “breathing spaces”© doublespace photography

▼橡木书桌、舒缓的声学环境，oak desk, soothing acoustic environment © doublespace photography

▼光影，light and shadow© Tom Arban

▼巨大的黑云杉柱，huge black fir column © doublespace photography

▼可开启窗户、充足的自然采光，openable windows, ample natural lighting© Tom Arban

▼走廊，hallway© doublespace photography

▼外观，exterior views© doublespace photography

在多伦多严格的法规环境与极端气候条件下，实现高层木结构与净零碳目标尤具挑战。项目团队开创性地提出多项新方案，并推动了国家及省级规范的更新——在项目启动时，相关规范仅允许最多六层的非公共大规模木结构建筑。其中一个关键目标是，在严格高度限制下实现贯穿10层、跨度达9米的无柱空间。团队与Fast + Epp合作，开发出由胶合木柱、CLT-混凝土组合楼板带与CLT填充板构成的浅层结构体系。该体系纤细而精致，展示了设计师如何突破传统木结构的体量限制，营造更优雅的室内空间。该创新成果已开源共享，以促进知识传播与未来创新。

▼剖面图，section©Moriyama Teshima Architects

Tall timber and net-zero carbon are particularly challenging targets in Toronto’s regulatory context and extreme climate, and the team pioneered new solutions that are now reshaping national and provincial codes, which, at the project’s inception, only permitted non-assembly/public mass timber buildings of six storeys. Of note, a new structural system to enable 9-metre (29.5 foot), column-free spans across the 10 storeys within a strict height limit was a critical project ambition. Working with Fast + Epp, the team developed this shallow structural assembly of glulam columns, CLT-concrete slab bands, and CLT infill panels. Slim and refined, the solution demonstrates how designers can overcome the bulk typically associated with mass timber for more refined and elegant interiors. The team has now open-sourced this innovation, encouraging knowledge transfer and future innovation.

▼教室，classroom© Tom Arban

▼教室，classroom© Tom Arban

▼室内细部，details of interior© Tom Arban

Limberlost广场活动中心不仅是一座可持续地标，更是一种前所未有的学习环境——一座激发探索与学习的建筑催化器。Moriyama Teshima Architects合伙人Carol Phillips表示：“我们以极大的自豪与谦逊投入这一项目。这是一个高度协作、影响深远的工程，不仅改变了参与其中的每一个人，也对更广泛的设计与建造行业产生了重要影响。在施工期间，团队组织了超过350场参观活动，项目并荣获24项国际设计、可持续与工程奖项。随着其投入使用，我们期待它在社会与审美层面为乔治布朗学院社区带来新的影响。”

More than a sustainable landmark, Limberlost Place is an environment unlike any its users have known – an architectural catalyst for inspired exploration and learning. “We approach this project with a great sense of pride and humility,” says MTA partner Carol Phillips. “It’s been a significant and deeply collaborative project that has had a major influence on everyone who has contributed to it, as well as the broader design and construction industry. During construction, the team provided over 350 tours and the project won 24 international design, sustainability and engineering awards. With its launch, we’re now looking forward to seeing what it does for George Brown’s community, socially and aesthetically.”

▼攀岩墙，climbing wall© Tom Arban

▼儿童阅读空间，children‘s reading room© Tom Arban

▼顶部的Limberlost活动空间，The Limberlost activity area at the top © Tom Arban

▼天井，skylight© Tom Arban

▼一层平面图，level 1 plan©Moriyama Teshima Architects

▼二层平面图，level 2 plan©Moriyama Teshima Architects

▼三层平面图，level 3 plan©Moriyama Teshima Architects

▼四层平面图，level 4 plan©Moriyama Teshima Architects

▼五层平面图，level 5 plan©Moriyama Teshima Architects

▼六层平面图，level 6 plan©Moriyama Teshima Architects

▼七层平面图，level 7 plan©Moriyama Teshima Architects

▼八层平面图，level 8 plan©Moriyama Teshima Architects

▼立面图，elevations©Moriyama Teshima Architects

▼剖面图，sections©Moriyama Teshima Architects

▼细部详图，construction details©Moriyama Teshima Architects

Location: George Brown College Waterfront Campus, 185 Queens Quay E, Toronto

Client: George Brown College

Area: 18,889.9 m2 / 203,329 SF

Completion: September 2025

Budget: $169M CDN / $121M USD

Architecture: Moriyama Teshima Architects, Acton Ostry Architects Ltd.

Interior Design: Moriyama Teshima Architects

Design Team: Carol Phillips, Phil Silverstein (MTA) Russel Acton (AOA)

General Contractor: PCL

Structural: Fast + Epp

Mechanical/Electrical/LEED: Introba

Audio Visual: The Hidi Group

Landscaping: Studio TLA

Mass Timber Supplier: Nordic Structures

Fire Engineer: CHM Fire Consultants

Code Consultant: GHL Consultants

Sustainability Consultant: Transsolar KlimaEngineering

Envelope Consultant: Stantec (Morrison Hershfield)

Photography: doublespace photography, Tom Arban

Plans and drawings: Moriyama Teshima Architects