Features Architectural design Contracting
Movement and Light – Springdale Library, Brampton, Ont.

The  Springdale Library combines influence from both modern visual elements and nature to create a marriage between movement, light and form which can be found around every turn of this truly unique building.

Pushing beyond industry standards in complexity and oversized glass, the state-of-the-art LEED Gold Springdale Library is a vision of glass and stainless steel that sings to the seamless illusion of dynamic movement, as the transparent building envelope flows in and out at incredibly dramatic vertical curves, all coming together to form a seamless triangular structure.

With oversized, curved glass printed with multicoloured digital frit pattern throughout both its interior and exterior, Springdale Library was a challenge in intricacy that required attention to detail and the highest quality; a challenge that Noram was ready to take on and deliver. Some of Springdale Library’s most complex exterior glazing components involved tight radiuses of as little as 1.5 meters on oversized IGU’s, with uniquely different digital printed patterns on each individual piece of glass. The Noram Wall 1100 unitized curtainwall system paired with these dramatically curved sections, consisting of glass stretching seamlessly from top to bottom, covering the entire frame with no single component exposed to echo the sense of flow and movement throughout the library’s exterior.

 Alongside the curved glass corners of this unique building are sections of concave and convex stainless steel composite panels, reflecting the same stylized curvatures as the glass facade.

Within the interior of the library, an oversized circular glass skylight exceeding 4.2 meters in diameter with custom structural glass fin supports sits in the centre of the main room with a sweeping ceiling leading up towards it. This beautifully seamless skylight reinforces the visual illusion of movement through dynamic shape that resonates throughout the entire libraries design.

 All through the interior of the library, repetitions of the curved glass corners of the exterior are mimicked within alongside laminated glass partitions, each individual piece printed with a custom digital pattern. With key abstractions surrounding movement, light and form as inspiration, the Springdale Library is brought to fruition through the use of a state-of-the-art glass and metal facade for an incredibly unique and engaging library experience for the City of Brampton. Noram met all design intents head on, setting forth high quality standards by implementing sophisticated QA and QC programs into their operations from start to finish for the successful completion.

AT A GLANCE – Springdale Library

• Architect: RDHA  
• Glazing contractor: Noram Building Systems
• General contractor: Aquicon
• Curtainwall: Noram Wall 1100
• IGU: North Glass   
• Glass: Multiple specs from multiple suppliers, including low-iron, double silver low-E, digital printed and laminated