Cooksville GO Transit Hub Redevelopment

Metrolinx, an agency of the Government of Ontario, in partnership with Infrastructure Ontario, identified a need to transform Cooksville GO Station into an efficient, modern transit hub, making it easier for customers to access the station and GO Transit services. NORR provided detailed architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, passenger flow and garage facility design, as well as compliance review services, working in collaboration with WalterFedy, the Architect of Record.

NORR managed the design of the transit hub through an extensive review process by the Joint Design Review Panel (JDRP) comprised of members from Metrolinx Design Excellence panel and the City of Mississauga Urban Planning. The design services encompassed the development of the Reference Concept Design package and detailed output specification (PSOS) schedules for a public-private partnerships (P3) delivery model. The facility features a new station and pavilion waiting area, upgraded pedestrian tunnels and rail platforms, a bus loop, kiss & ride, a large civic plaza and a 1900 commuter parking structure with pedestrian bridge access to rail platforms.

The design concept for the six-story parking structure features a layered envelope strategy to overcome the mundane nature of the typical parking structure as well as to provide a shield from car headlights for the surrounding residential development. The precast structure is wrapped by a sculptural veil of expanded aluminum mesh which is inflected and fractured by the vehicle entry points, the glazed vertical circulation towers and pedestrian bridge connection to the rail platforms. This larger folding texture of the facade is complemented by a finer texture of vertical slot openings that provides visual interest at the pedestrian level and from surrounding buildings as well as views from within the structure. Inside the sculptural veil resides an additional inner skin of woven stainless-steel mesh that serves as a guard for pedestrians, while a tension cable system serves as a car barrier. This multi-layered system serves to maximize the level of natural light and air entering the building while at the same time mitigating light spillage onto neighboring residential properties. The result is a dynamic facade treatment that both obscures and reveals an otherwise typical parking structure and the vehicular circulation within it.

The design creates an urban landmark and defines the edge of a new public plaza responding to both present development as well as anticipated future residential and commercial densification.

Photo Credit: doublespace photography©