The building?s atrium is tied together by a stack of circular gathering rooms, including a ground-floor multi-purpose space and the second floor Roundhouse.
PROJECT Manitou a bi Bii daziigae (formerly the Innovation Centre) at Red River College, Winnipeg, Manitoba
ARCHITECTS Diamond Schmitt Architects in joint venture with Number TEN Architectural Group
TEXT Lawrence Bird
PHOTOS Doublespace Photography
Red River College Polytechnic?s new teaching centre, Manitou a bi Bii daziigae, is the institution?s most recent of many contributions to Winnipeg?s rich, but beleaguered, downtown. Making significant strides in urban, cultural, sustainable and interior design, the building is also an illustration of how a client?s vision is as important as that of the architects. Maria Mendes, at the time Senior Project Manager at RRC Polytech, is an architect by training, and worked closely throughout the process with Diamond Schmitt and Number TEN Architectural Group. Together, their sensitivity to the priorities of good design became a key factor in the project?s success. A bridge to the main campus helps frame a pedestrianized portion of Elgin Avenue.
The building?s name was chosen by Paul Guimond and Una Swan, two of the College?s Indigenous Elders-in-residence. It is Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) for ?Where Creator sits, brings light.? The sun shines on this building both metaphorically and literally. Depending on weather conditions, solar power contributes around 20 kWh/m2 in Energy Use I...