The consortium of global engineering firm Provencher-Roy and Quebec architect NORR has been awarded a Public Services and Procurement Canada $3.9 million contract to design and manage the recladding of Terraces de la Chaudiere in Gatineau, one of Canada’s largest federal office complexes.
According to the agency, recladding is needed as the building’s brick facade has been cracking prematurely. Workers have been inspecting and repairing bricks for more than 10 years but fragments have still fallen twice from the building. As a solution, an overhead protection system was installed to keep pedestrians safe.
During recladding, the overhead protection system will be removed as contractors install new materials that adhere to the master plan for the Les Terrasses de la Chaudiere and surrounding area. The plan currently being developed by Dillon Construction centers on rehabilitating the entire building envelope system including windows, curtain wall, precast panels, mechanical/electrical interface, roofing, penthouse cladding and interior finishes.
Based on the procurement documents, the recladding project has a total estimated construction cost of $175 million. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2019 and is slated for completion in 2023. Target dates could change as the project team is still awaiting the National Capital Commission’s approval of the master plan.
Built in 1978, the 30-storey complex serves as headquarters for Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Canadian Heritage, the Canadian Transportation Agency, and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. About 6,000 employees work at the complex.
Federal departments, agencies and other businesses inside the building will continue operating throughout the renovation.
