Award of Merit

John A. Russell Bldg. Exterior Envelope Replacement
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Category: Recent Work
Architect: LM Architectural Group
Owner/Client: University of Manitoba
Structural Engineer: Crosier Kilgour & Partners Ltd.
Mechanical Engineer: SMS Engineering Ltd.
Electrical Engineer: MCW / AGE Consulting Engineers
Contractor: Bockstael Construction Ltd.
Cost Consultant: PCL Constructors Canada Ltd.

The Project

Completed in 1958, the iconic John A. Russell Building for the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Manitoba represented the modernist ideology of its progressive dean for whom the building is named.

While having the appearance of a curtain wall exterior cladding system, the original design was in reality a hybrid of early curtain wall technology and wood frame construction, assembled to appear like curtain wall. While highly innovative, the unique cladding system had deteriorated over time to the point where replacement was the only option.

Recognizing the historic value of the original deign, a preservation approach was taken in the restoration of the building envelope. With the envelope completed in 2006 and the restoration of the courtyard to its original design in 2009, the Russell Building is ready to inspire another generation of students with its elegant simplicity and timeless beauty.