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BISCUIT BLOCK
The Biscuit Block is a four-storey warehouse building constructed in 1912 that has been adapted for office use. Our design added 7,481 square feet to the building in the form of two additional floors and a new entrance lobby, bringing the total floor area to approximately 55,000 square feet.
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Degraded masonry lintels and apron were restored with sandstone matched to the original; brick was cleaned and repointed.
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New windows at grade along the north elevation were designed to match existing roundhead windows along the east elevation; brick was reused from other locations in the building to create the arched openings.
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Original timber posts in the basement were suffering from rot and were reinforced; original timbers and masonry walls are exposed throughout the building interior.
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Badly degraded brick was selectively covered with protective aluminum rainscreen panelling.
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The fifth and sixth storeys step back from the original façade, allowing room for a glass-railed deck behind the parapet of the existing roof.
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The new addition makes use of a contemporary vocabulary to create a visual contrast distinguishing periods in the building’s century-long history.
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A new cantilever roof extends over this deck to align with the original façade, and includes punch-outs bringing daylight to upper floors.
Awards:
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Honourable Mention - New Design, 2014 Calgary Heritage Authority Lion Awards
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Honourable Mention - Restoration, 2015 Alberta Masonry Council Awards
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