CISC Ontario Awards 2010

The design team selected structural steel to overcome many of the design challenges for the Quantum-Nano Centre. With several portions of the building either cantilevered or hung, the use of steel was fundamental in reducing the self-weight of the building , while at the same time being strong enough to resist the large forces encountered. Meanwhile, the desire for large columnfree spaces supporting vibration sensitive floors, while maintaining minimal floor-to-floor heights, could only work using modern steel construction.

In addition, the design and analysis of the building complexities was made possible through the use of advanced computer modelling techniques. Software packages are readily available to accurately model structural steel, and thanks to steel's isotropic composition and the consistency of the end product, load paths are easy to predict and results are reliable.

Cost also played a factor in the selection of materials for the Quantum-Nano Centre. For many portions of the building, including the Nanotechnology Structure, steel provided the most cost effective means of delivering the architect's vision for the facility.  Finally, the ability to prefabricate the steel framework off-site allowed the team to expedite the construction process and save the project in additional time-related costs, while ensuring an excellent end product. This was most evident In the successful delivery of the pedestrian bridges and large trusses.