Biosphere Sustainability Centre

The Biosphere Sustainability Centre proposes a new model for adaptive reuse and regional development. Located on an 11,508-square-metre former industrial brownfield site in Gananoque, Ontario, the project transforms an abandoned complex into a vibrant civic destination, reconnecting the site to its surrounding community and waterfront. Positioned within the Frontenac Arch Biosphere, a UNESCO-designated region, the Centre serves as both gateway and catalyst for environmental, cultural, and economic activity.

The program brings together exhibition and conference spaces, artisan studios, market retail, and offices, forming a collaborative platform for research, education, and public engagement. The building expresses its purpose through integrated systems that demonstrate renewable energy strategies, including earth, water, solar, wind, and biomass, making sustainable infrastructure visible and accessible.

A series of architectural elements reinforce this approach. Green roofs with walk-out gardens extend usable landscape, while a walk-through living wall filters and renews interior air. Sculptural sunshades modulate light and heat, enhancing comfort. Above, the Atmospheric Canopy collects solar energy, provides shade, reflects the surrounding landscape, and channels rainwater for reuse, transforming seasonal change into a visible phenomenon.
Together, these strategies establish the Centre as a living framework for learning, where architecture, ecology, and community converge.