Cawthra Community Centre and Arena

The Cawthra Community Centre is a 3,000-square-metre addition to an existing twin-pad arena. It contains a gymnasium, an active-living studio, multipurpose rooms, a kitchen, teen activity room and newly refurbished arena change rooms. The project is located at the southern edge of the largest stand of native deciduous trees in Mississauga, and the north wall of the gymnasium is completely glazed to provide views of the woodlot, to remove the barrier between inside and outside and protect the exposed south flank of the heritage woods.

Construction systems were selected for their economy of means and efforts were made to reveal the essential nature of the materials used. Finishes are sparse and the colour scheme is largely the by-product of the materials themselves. Timber was selected for its narrative association with the adjacent woodlot and its warm appearance. Reinforced concrete is used in bold cantilevers for the walking track and the second-floor connection to the arenas. Ashlar block in a stack-bond arrangement provides functional utility and reinforces the visual order of horizontal elements. Clear anodized aluminum provides brightness and green-tinted glass reduces solar heat gain and evokes the outside foliage.