Description:
Nova Scotia Power Corporate Headquarters occupies a prominent location in downtown Halifax, Canada, with significant frontage on the public boardwalk that lines the western edge of Halifax Harbour. The site had been occupied by a decommissioned generating plant constructed in phases during the 1940s and 1950s. The conversion of the former plant into the corporate headquarters of the provincial electrical utility involved the insertion of seven new floor assemblies into the existing structure. A unique example of adaptive re-use, the design concept required cutting openings into and “re-skinning” the existing concrete shell.
A five-storey atrium connects the neighbourhood to the waterfront, offering spectacular views of the Harbour. This public space, in conjunction with a galleria that provides an indoor street that parallels the boardwalk, promotes casual interaction between employees. Glazed inter-floor stairs on the building perimeter, and exterior balconies at the atrium, keep users in contact with the Harbour.
In a gesture to the memory of the building’s initial use, the original steel structure has been retained and featured. Skylights sit in the base of former chimney stacks along the roof of the galleria.
This project achieved LEED Platinum Certification. [1]
Located on the harbour of downtown Halifax, this LEED Platinum project retains and converts a decommissioned power generating plant into corporate headquarters for the Province’s electrical utility. [2]
Awards
Nova Scotia Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Engineering for Refurbished Historic Buildings, 2011
Nova Scotia Lieutenant Governor’s Medal of Excellence, 2012
SAB Magazine Canadian Green Building Award, 2013
References:
[1] “Nova Scotia Power Inc. Corporate HEADQUARTERS: Wzmh Architects.” Archello. Accessed August 6, 2021. https://archello.com/project/nova-scotia-power-inc-corporate-headquarters.
[2] “Nova Scotia Power Inc. Corporate Office Facility, Halifax, Nova Scotia.” WZMH Architects, June 13, 2012. https://www.wzmh.com/projects/nova-scotia-power-corporate-office-facility/.
Additional information:
Hernandez, Diego. “Nova Scotia Power Corporate HEADQUARTERS / Wzmh Architects.” ArchDaily. ArchDaily, January 11, 2013. https://www.archdaily.com/317150/nova-scotia-power-corporate-headquarters-wzmh-architects.
“Nova Scotia Power CORPORATE Headquarter Wzmh Architects.” Inhabitat Green Design Innovation Architecture Green Building. Accessed August 6, 2021. https://inhabitat.com/nova-scotia-power-headquarters-is-the-first-leed-certified-building-in-atlantic-canada/nova-scotia-power-corporate-headquarter-wzmh-architects-3/.
“Nova Scotia Power Corporate Headquarters Recognized by Numerous Awards.” Canadian Architect, August 17, 2013. https://www.canadianarchitect.com/nova-scotia-power-corporate-headquarters-recognized-by-numerous-awards/.
“Nova Scotia POWER’S New Headquarters Is the First LEED-Certified Building in Atlantic Canada.” Inhabitat Green Design Innovation Architecture Green Building. Accessed August 6, 2021. https://inhabitat.com/nova-scotia-power-headquarters-is-the-first-leed-certified-building-in-atlantic-canada/.
Project Title: Nova Scotia Power Corporate Headquarters (NSPCH)
Artists: WZMH Architects
Year: 2011
Place: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Architecture, Award, City, Completed Projects, conservation, Functional, LEED, LEED Platinum, N.S., Nova Scotia, NS, Permanent, Private, Urban, Winner