Threshold
Russell, Ontario is a small town on the outskirts of Ottawa that has been recently chosen as the site for the new Amazon warehouse. This introduces an estimated 5000 people to the current population of the town resulting in a severe lack of community infrastructure. As a result, the town wishes to repurpose an existing U-Haul structure into a community centre.
This proposal will primarily focus on a local arts centre and features an intervention that will encase the existing building. Some of these amenities include a new cafe/restaurant, one large, and one small multipurpose space that will house town events, a consignment store that currently exists on site, and finally an art studio in the basement for local classes. In order to
Conservation Studio 1
Carleton University
Studio Advisor: Mariana Esponda
correctly respect the heritage and fabric of Russell, the facade features the towns famous Russell brick. Additionally, the buildings roofline conforms with the existing streetscape by modernizing the traditional gable roof. Another fundamental component to the evolution of Russell is the castor river that flanks the south side of the site. The small field that currently occupies this area will be converted into a small park that will have a playground, community garden and a boardwalk. Overall, this adaptive reuse will take advantage of the picturesque town and landscape while being a functional addition to the urban fabric.
