Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Architect: The Cohos Evamy Partners
NAIT’s new HP Centre is essential in maintaining their position as a leader in the ICT sector. The building is three storeys supported on an underground parkade with a mechanical penthouse above. It contains classrooms, computer labs, a large computer common area and library, retail space, and a food court. The building is connected to the main campus by an enclosed pedestrian bridge over 106 Street.
Using the Construction Management process ensured that the construction schedule and budget were controlled. The building is supported on dynamically placed piles with the superstructure generally being constructed of cast-in-place concrete. The roofs of the facility were constructed from a system of structural steel. The building was designed with some flexibility in the structure to accommodate future loads, openings and other adjustments that may occur. Edmonton is in a mild earthquake zone so the structure was designed to withstand the lateral forces that may occur as a result of ground accelerations.