Projects — Civic & Commercial — Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation Headquarters and Multi-Tenant Commercial Building

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) new Headquarters and Multi-Tenant Commercial Building is a progressive 3-storey, 124,000 SF mass timber project that seamlessly integrates commercial opportunities with the revitalization of the OSSTF/FEESO’s existing office complex in Toronto. Overlooking the Don Valley ravine landscape, the building is a highly sustainable, financially viable, and innovative new workplace that uses net-zero carbon emissions strategies, and targets both LEED Platinum certification and high-energy performance levels at 67 kWhr/m2/year.

The new OSSTF/FEESO Headquarters and Multi-Tenant Commercial Building is spatially divided to house the OSSTF/FEESO offices as well as two floors of leasable tenant space. Joined by a central atrium, the building offers abundant outside views, light, openness, and numerous opportunities for spontaneous interactions between the OSSTF/FEESO staff and tenants. Furthermore, shareable spaces on the main floor include the lobby, café, and main floor terrace, and features a multipurpose, convertible event space; this space is shared not only by the building occupants, but also by outside groups, providing opportunities for engagement with the wider community.

The architecture promotes health and wellness at every level: natural daylighting has been maximized thanks to generous structural bays; building automation systems move fresh air through the building; large overhangs reduce solar heat gain and control glare; geothermal heating, a rainwater harvesting system for toilet flushing and irrigation, green roof, rooftop solar PV panels, and automated daylight dimming controls further contribute to significant energy savings. Constructed using cross laminated timber (CLT) floor slabs and glue laminated timber (GLT) beams and columns, structural components will be sourced nationally where possible, and demonstrate a robust, honest, yet innovative application of natural materials. Designed to the highest environmental standards, the OSSTF/FEESO headquarters is built on a foundation of social, environmental, and financial sustainability.