Project Details
Ball Construction erected a 5,016 square-metre, four-storey addition to the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo. This involved more than doubling the institute’s individual research spaces, interaction areas, formal presentation spaces and training facilities.
The Challenge
The project mandate involved designing a building that would help attract researchers from all over the world.
Detailed planning was required to complete construction while the existing facility remained fully operational. Disruptions were to be kept to an absolute minimum and full planning and disclosure of any such activities had to be communicated well in advance. Also, extensive renovations of the existing building were required and had to be scheduled largely during non-working hours with careful consideration for dust and debris.
The site is located next to Silver Lake, part of the Grand River watershed. Extreme care was required to ensure construction activities didn’t compromise water integrity, so an elaborate system of shoreline protection was used.
Ensuring the safety of the facility’s occupants was another challenge Ball Construction faced.
The Ball Solution
Recognizing the project’s level of intricacy, Ball required all trades to have Gold Seal Certification or commit to pursuing it. The end result was that this was the first Gold Seal Certified project completed in Ontario.
Our organizational and communication skills helped deliver this facility on time and under budget—rare for a project of this complexity.
The entire expansion was seamlessly integrated with the existing facility, allowing the institute to continue operating throughout the construction process. The complexity and high-quality workmanship of the finished building is evidenced by the fact that it has been described as a piece of sculpture.
We are proud to say this project was completed without any lost time for injury.
Midway through construction, Stephen Hawking toured the facility that would eventually bear his name.