The redevelopment program consisted of the demolition of an existing facility and the design and construction of a new one in the heart of Canada’s capital. The facility (now known as the Shaw Centre) is a Tier II convention center, providing a total area of 365,973 square feet, with 215,278 square feet of rentable meeting and convention space. With its bold design, natural lighting, and magnificent views of the Parliament Buildings, Chateau Laurier, and Rideau Canal, the new convention center had booked over 90 events even before the completion of construction.

The new convention facility achieved LEED Gold certification, surpassing the original Silver target with sustainable components such as renewable energy efficiencies, material/resource conservation, and superior site planning and indoor air quality. One of the major recycling initiatives was to use the old Congress Centre steel trusses: the PCL team disassembled, inspected, refabricated, and reinstalled these trusses in the new building, for a savings of $960,000. The team also diverted 96.7% of landfill waste, exceeding LEED requirements.

Notwithstanding wholesale changes to the functional program initiated by the client in response to available funding, and which occurred subsequent to the final design-build submissions, PCL was able to provide the client with a beautiful and functional convention space that adhered to the original design and construction schedule. This enabled the facility to preserve and maintain its event-booking program.