By challenging the standard planning principles of the business park subdivision, H2Office is a building that blurs architecture, landscape, water management and sustainability. Early on, development guidelines were pushed with the desire to locate the building closer to the water. In breaking the predefined lot line, the “building as a bridge” emerged, reminiscent of the low horizontal bridges of the Canadian prairie landscape.
The narrow volume, supported on thin columns, draws a prairie datum line across the retention pond, offering abundant natural daylight and expansive views of the landscape. Through clear detailing, the exterior butt-jointed, mirrored glazing allows the building to embed itself in its surroundings, reflecting its modulating landscape........
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