The First Leaside CO-OP commercial development and its architects (Rounthwaite Dick and Hadley Architects Inc.) won the prestigious 2008 Award of Excellence bestowed by Canadian Architect magazine. The project was also featured in Ice Architecture, a 176-page hardcover book featuring 37 projects from around the world.

Situated on a 3.44 acre site that anchors the historic business community of Uxbridge, Ontario, the First Leaside CO-OP Building will serve as the new corporate headquarters for the First Leaside Group of Companies.

The project management team is pursuing LEED Platinum certification for this 42,000-square-foot structure. LEED -- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design -- is the internationally recognized green building rating system. Environmental initiatives incorporated into the building design include extensive and intensive roof-top planting, natural ventilation, thermal chimney effect, and solar installations on the roof tied into the power grid. Ecological redevelopment created an opportunity to expand an existing valley shape to incorporate a biologically active floodplain.

One of the key challenges of this project derives from First Leaside's commitment to constructing a sustainable building while honouring the aspect and architecture of the original CO-OP Feed Mill structure whose roots in the Uxbridge community run deep.

To learn more about the project, read the feature article in the December 2008 issue of Canadian Architect magazine