Update on the construction

Unless you have wandered to the back of the building to see the zinc cladding being installed, you may still be wondering about the final exterior finishes for the Brentwood branch. Here is a picture of the zinc cladding going up on the west wall of the library.

As you can see, it has a really nice finish that complements both the grey and green colours found throughout the exterior of the renovated building.

As the project enters the final months of construction we can all look forward to enjoying the new space. More photos will be posted as they become available.

Interior views of Brentwood Library as renovation proceeds

The architect in charge of the Brentwood Library renovation invited a team of managers inside the Brentwood library for a look at the progress, recently. Work is progressing well, and the individual rooms in the branch are taking shape.

This picture shows the randomly placed coloured glass in the windows of the second floor adult reading area. The window faces south, and equivalent windows are on the north side. This part of the building is the centre of the branch which will house shelving for Fiction and Non-fiction for adults.

The architect explains a particular point about the building, in the same room, here looking North. Eventually the ceiling will be covered by wood, which will match in colour the old ceiling of the branch.

The steel support structures, prominently protruding from the ceiling will remain in view as ceiling sculptures!

 

The only parts of the old branch building that remain are the fireplaces and the magnificent ceiling with Douglas Fir beams. They were exposed in the previous building, but they were stained with a grey stain. The image shows how test spots have been sanded to expose the original wood. Eventually the whole ceiling will receive a similar treatment to highlight the natural wood, which will give the ceiling a warm feel.

 

As you can tell, there will be lots of space in this area for books and for individual study spaces. A relaxed seating area is planned around the fireplaces on both the first and second floor, and comfortable chairs with tablet sized tables attached will line the windows in this room.

Health and safety measures are designed into the fabric of the building. One such feature is the sprinkler system, which is clearly visible on the two last pictures.

The main staircase on the west side of the building takes you up through the building. Here is a view of the metal lattice running alongside the stairs. The picture is taken from the third floor and shows the neighbouring church viewed through preserved trees that will offer a green screen.

Windows and exterior coverings emerging

Much is happening both inside and outside the new Brentwood Library building. The outside walls are receiving  exterior finishes. Here the limestone blocks are shown decorating the north wall of the building.

This corner window will look into the pre-school area called KidsStop with special furniture and interactive stations designed to encourage early literacy.

 

 

On the main floor people will enter into a big "urban living room". It will have soft chairs, so that customers can enjoy the newspapers, magazines and best sellers planned to be housed in this room.

The fireplace is meant to create a cozy feel. The hearth will have an electric fire.

 

This image of the front of the building shows the many windows in the east wall. The windows are larger than in the previous building and will allow much more light to enter the library.

The surface will have subtle "fins" protruding between the windows to add a decorative element. 

                                                                                                                                                     The windows are almost all in place - just in time for winter! This image shows the second and third floors seen from the south. The windows to the left on the second floor illuminate the group study area and the teen zone, and the windows above them are for staff offices.

The centre section will have green glass mosaics inserted. This glass will complement the dark  zinc cladding planned for part of the exterior walls.

 

 

Lots happening inside the new Brentwood branch

It may seem to some that all work has stopped at Brentwood's new library branch. That is not so, however. The project is still on time, but it may be more difficult to spot exactly what is happening.

The heating /cooling ducts are being run throughout the branch. This picture also shows the sprinkler system. Electricians are hard at work stringing wires throughout the building. All of this infrastructure will naturally be hidden when the branch is finished.

 

 

 

 

 

The first curtainwall (window) panels arrived on site last week. Soon window installation will commence. The masonry work is ready to start and progress will be made with stone and brick laying, shortly.

 

In the "old branch", the ceiling's Douglad Fir beams were stained a greyish colour. That has been stripped off and we will get a chance to admire the magnificent beams "au naturel".

 

 

The upper roof is almost finished externally. On the inside, wood will adorn the flat surfaces of this interesting ceiling.

 

This image is taken from the third floor (staff offices) looking south over the area destined to house the adult print and audiovisual collections. There will also be a number of computers and a cosy living room space in front of the fire place.

 

Apart from these architectural features, furniture has been ordered, and designers are busy preparing sketches of the preschool area on the main floor.

Keep your eyes peeled! There is a lot more happening than it appears. You will get a chance to see it when the branch opens in late summer 2012.

The interior work starts!

The pictures in this update are from Sept 1, 2011. Throughout the Summer, work has continued on the new Brentwood Library. 

All the exterior walls are built and it is time to work on the  the many features of the interior. While construction moves inside, planning continues for details such as layout of shelving and for arrangements of furniture. A lot is going on "behind the scenes". 

 

 

 

In order to prevent rusting and "rotting"of steel beams over time, they are coated in a layer of foam. This ghost-looking worker is well protected by his mask and uniform.  

 

 

 

 

    

On the third floor the walls of the offices facing south have been framed. These offices are for the Branch Head, Operational Supervisor and the Library Service Manager.

 

 

 

 

Electrical wires running through conduits are protected against accidental damage. This building requires many outlets for computers - both library owned and laptops brought in by library users.

The back wall shows that framing has started for future drywall.

                                                                        

                                                                               

 The second floor has retained the beautiful douglas fir ceiling beams from the old building. Those and the fireplace are all that is left of the old materials. The bright light from the many larger windows show off the wooden beams well.

The adult fiction and non-fiction shelving will stand under this ceiling. There will be soft chairs in front of the fireplace for a comfortable reading area.

Quick summer work!

Over the course of a month, Brentwood Library has "grown" its walls and the interior space of the building no longer has to be imagined. The walls constructed from steel beams and cement blocks are almost complete:

 

 

Someone kindly wrote "patience" on the fence support. The project is developing according to  forecast timelines, however, so at this point we predict a late spring 2012 opening.

 

 

 

The main floor shows where the larger-than- original windows will be. It will be a brighter and bigger branch!

 

This corner is the future children's area, which gives easy access for families with young children.

 

The central part of the library in the adult area on the second floor has a special roof with several angles. The angle brackets are meant to create architectural interest as well as give support.

This image taken from the north side shows the angled roof, which will be covered by a wooden interior finish.

The image also depicts how the building steps up gradually from Brentwood Avenue. This design makes the building less imposing.

The new walls are going up!

The following pictures, taken on July 20, show great progress on the walls of Brentwood Library.

The extension to the west is almost fully clad, and the outline of the windows show clearly.  The building is seen here from the south west. The new community room on the main floor wiill be directly under the walls shown.

 

 

 

The basement has been fully filled in and covered. The main floor shown here has been poured on top of all necessary drain and plumbing work. 

 

 

 

 

 

The chimney and the roof of the original library still stand and will be an integral part of the new building.

 

The work is on schedule and developing according to plan!

The new library steel structure is complete!

The following pictures taken June 8, 2011 show how the Brentwood Library is gradually taking shape:

  The orinal Douglas Fir ceiling and the chimney has been maintained from the old building, but new steel supports have replaced the old brick pillars. New floors are being poured, so that the new and old buildings will join seamlessly.

 

 

 

 

 

  All underground work has been completed. The existing basement will be filled in completely, and the heating and cooling system will be stationed on the roof.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second floor will contain the adult and teen areas as well as the computer learning centre.

The sloping roof in the middle section is held in place by special braces which forms part of the architectural feature of the ceiling.

 

 

 

 

 

The third floor is the staff office and workroom area. It will be part of a mezzanine which overlooks the second floor adult section.

This picture looks south towards Bloor Street.

 

 

 

 

 

This image is taken from the second floor looking up to the third floor mezzanine. The holes in the floor and ceiling indicate where stairs and the elevator will be placed in order to allow easy passage between all levels.

Brentwood Library's new building skeleton is emerging!

The new building on the west side of the property will be two and a half stories high. The dramatic skeleton gives an idea of the size, but is only an outline of the exciting building to come.

 

 

 

 

The skeleton is seen here from the north.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The old building has been opened up by removal of the north wall. New windows are to be inserted in the walls, while the douglas fir ceiling of the old building will remain.

 

 

 

 

 

While construction is ongoing, the tree at the north-east corner of the property is carefully surrounded by hoarding and other materials to protect it from accidental damage.

Brentwood - Update On Construction

The mould for the foundation of the new building is seen here, ready to have concrete poured. In the distance the square frame of the elevator shaft emerges above ground.

 

 

 

 

 

The foundation wall is ready to support the new building - seen here from the south.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heavy equipment is needed throughout most of the construction phase - here to help lift boards into place for the foundation mould.

 

 

 

 

 

Inside the old building, the ceiling on the main floor has been stripped down to the joists. Soon daylight will penetrate the buiding further, for more windows will accentuate this part of the building in the new design.