The York Community Centre is a 70,000 square foot building located in North Toronto. The program of the building includes an aquatics center, gymnasium, fitness center, pre-school room and multi-use rooms with associated ancillary and change room spaces.

Located at a major arterial intersection, the building asserts a strong urban presence that helps to reinforce its important civic function. Designed to act as a new community focal point for four distinct neighborhoods, the building provides much needed new facilities and programs in an economically challenged zone of the city.

Internally, the site benefits from a direct adjacency to a large existing park and a beautiful natural ravine. Conceived as a large pavilion

like structure, this setting creates a natural backdrop to many of the spaces. The building’s architecture capitalizes on this relationship with a light and transparent structure that invites panoramic views of the park and a large communal porch that enables activities to spill outside during the summer months.

The project advocates a green approach to both the site and building employing several energy and water conservation features in its design. A large green roof serves as a prominent feature of the design, which also doubles as a rainwater collector and sunlight harvester.

- See more at: http://perkinswill.com/work/york-community-centre.html#sthash.Rsn4XHBr.dpuf