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Manitoba's urban elm forest lives on at the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Games
CentrePlace Manitoba was designed for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games to embody the energy of the Province and its people, reinforce Manitoba’s position as a centre for culture and trade, and demonstrated a commitment to sustainability.
The pavilion, characterised by two horizontal planes enclosing an illuminated translucent skin, utilised 7,000 board feet of reclaimed diseased elm harvested from the City of Winnipeg’s urban forest, not only saving 100 trees from the landfill but also providing a warm and inviting sensory experience.
The recyclable translucent skin that envelops the exhibit and reception areas provides generous natural light during the day, becoming a glowing, dynamic façade animated by the interaction of visitors, lights, and exhibits after dusk.
The oversized pivoting door and front porch act as a transitional space between the pavilion and it’s site, providing an area for exterior exhibits, a sitting ledge, and a refuge from inclement weather, reinforcing the welcoming nature of the province.
In order to provide a post-Olympic legacy beyond the pavilion’s initial six-week life span, the project was conceived as a pre-fabricated structure. This allowed it to be constructed in Manitoba, shipped to Vancouver for the Olympics, and then re-erected in Manitoba as a permanent tourism destination after the Olympics.
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