The site, a no longer used officers’ training facility, was deemed surplus by the Canadian government in the 1980s. It was acquired by the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TDCSB) for a much-needed educational facility in the area. The new school was dedicated to Marshall McLuhan who had lived nearby.
The design team, led by Rocco Maragna of Maragna Architect Inc., decided to keep the 4 stories existing L-shaped brick structure maintaining its urban presence with the neighbourhood. The existing classrooms of each floor were adapted for the TDCSB’s curriculum: humanities, math, and science.
The design capitalized on the natural slope of the site for the benefit of the users. A covered area at the corner of the L, next to the public transit stop, became the focus of flow into the building.
From the portico, a descending curved broad landscaped area connects with the curved two-story skylit atrium. This allowed for the creation of a new ground floor at the lowest level of the existing building, which accommodated the major volumetric spaces: cafeteria, gymnasium, and chapel. Above it and overlooking the curved atrium the library, visual arts and computer areas were located. The playing field with a landscaped edge safeguarded the residential area to the east.
The design for the school offered a compact and efficient plan that minimized the footprint on the site resulting in its own portion of surplus land where the Toronto Hunt Club heritage structure stood. This condition offered the possibility of incorporating a housing component and its financial return could be used to defray the cost of the school. The Board accepted the idea and 4500SM of residential space was eventual built. (The project in a joint venture partner with Global Architects Inc.)
“The combination of adaptation and respect of existing structures; application of the latest technology; incorporating residential use; and a population of over one thousand students and teachers from a spectrum of cultures, resulting in a reinvigorated neighbourhood resulted in a microcosm of Marshall McLuhan ‘global village’.”