Toronto Congress Centre
Toronto, Canada

The Toronto Congress Centre is currently expanding its exhibit space to over 1 million square feet [92,000 sm]. Once this expansion is complete, it will regain its title as the largest convention centre in Canada.

The existing warehouse has been stripped down to its structural steel and foundations. The building now greets trade show participants with over 300m of backlit glazed glass curtain wall that runs the entire east-west length of the building. To create the ambience of a hotel lobby with a gallery approach; a multi-layered curvilinear walls that forms the entire north side of the lobby softens the geometry of the building architecture and add drama to this 300m long space. Revealing the curvilinear wall hides entrances to restrooms and offices, as well as a two-level service core intended for site offices, equipment and storage.

Above the shorter layers, a 1.2m tall ribbon suspends from the ceiling and travels along the entire length of the lobby. Each loop of the ribbon defines an entrance to the exhibition hall forming feature areas below. On the west entrance rotunda features an urban forest - a group of reclaimed logs that stand upright and convey the feel of the Canadian landscape. Like the lobby, the service core runs the entire east-west length of the building. It also features a mezzanine-level restaurant that affords diners a view over the trade show floor that, when fully open, totals 193,000 square feet [17,930sm].