Upper Canada College Rowing Center

3. Upper Canada College Rowing Center, Lindsay Boathouse, Boat Storage, Watercraft, Water, Rowing Facility.jpg

4. Upper Canada College Rowing Center, Lindsay Boathouse, Boat Storage, Watercraft, Water, Rowing Facility.jpg

5. Upper Canada College Rowing Center, Lindsay Boathouse, Boat Storage, Watercraft, Water, Rowing Facility, CLT, Cross Laminated Timber, Rowing Training, Interior.jpg

6. Upper Canada College Rowing Center, Lindsay Boathouse, Boat Storage, Watercraft, Water, Rowing Facility, CLT, Cross Laminated Timber, Rowing Training, Interior.jpg

7. Upper Canada College Rowing Center, Lindsay Boathouse, Boat Storage, Watercraft, Water, Rowing Facility, CLT, Cross Laminated Timber, Rowing Training, Interior.jpg

8. Upper Canada College Rowing Center, Lindsay Boathouse, Boat Storage, Watercraft, Water, Rowing Facility, CLT, Cross Laminated Timber, Rowing Training, Exterior.jpg

9. Upper Canada College Rowing Center, Lindsay Boathouse, Boat Storage, Watercraft, Water, Rowing Facility, CLT, Cross Laminated Timber, Rowing Training, Diagram.jpg

UPper Canada College Rowing Center

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Awards: AIA MN Honor Award, 2024

Sited on a peninsula in Lake Ontario, the project is part of Ports Toronto’s master plan to improve public access to the neighboring nature preserve. Completed in 2023, the new Upper Canada College Rowing Facility was designed around dramatic views of the Toronto skyline and surrounding lakefront.

The 9,400 square foot project integrates the school’s need for functional program elements such as boat storage bays, crew docks, a launch area, locker rooms, restrooms, and a flexible rowing training room, that can be transformed into public-oriented community spaces to support a range of events from fundraising to exhibitions. The entire site and facility are universally accessible for all users.

Sustainable and environmentally conscious design elements were critical as the site is located on a peninsula in a protected bay within a sensitive natural lake context. Key features include a low carbon Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) structure assembled on site, expansive bird safe glazing for daylighting, passive natural ventilation, minimal energy and water use, green roofs for heat absorption and stormwater management, and native species landscaping. The building's openness connects the rowers directly to the surrounding landscape.