Main construction tender out for Ottawa Public Library-Library and Archives Canada facility
Posted May 17, 2021 07:20:00 PM.
Pre-qualified general contractors can now bid to build the Ottawa Public Library-Library and Archives Canada Joint Facility.
The tender is scheduled to close this summer with construction work to begin this fall.
The release of the main construction tender coincides with another project milestone, the completion of the final design of the joint facility.
The designs plans were endorsed by the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) Board and approved by the National Capital Commission Public Board of Directors in April 2021. The design is the direct result of a public co-design process that asked Ottawa residents, Indigenous communities, and Canadians from across the country to provide design input and inspiration at every stage.
The City of Ottawa says this engagement process helped shape all aspects of the facility, inside and out.
Public input informed the shape of the building, its entrances, the interaction and location of its spaces, the indoor look and ambience, the inclusive and sustainable features, the landscaping and public art, and the exterior materials. There were also significant design enhancements made by Diamond Schmitt Architects, in joint venture with KWC Architects, to achieve net-zero carbon.
“One of the most important aspects of this process was the generosity and engagement of Indigenous peoples in Ottawa and across the country, including the Anishnabe Algonquin First Nations of Kitigan Zibi and Pikwakanagan, the Ottawa-Gatineau urban Indigenous community and First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation individuals from across the country,” the City of Ottawa writes in a statement, Monday, May 17. “Their direction, advice, and feedback has been instrumental in shaping the design of the new facility.”
Public and Indigenous engagement for the facility is expected to continue as the project moves forward into the next stages.
A gallery of the final design drawings and additional information on the project can be found at inspire555.ca.
