“Picture a drop of rainwater wanting to spend as much time as possible on the roof.”

This reversal in thinking about the function of a roof led the team to design Canada’s largest “living roof,” where rainwater, instead of being sloughed off into the sewage system, is welcomed (and collected) both for building use and as the fundamental resource for the creation of new green space. The building’s subtle elements are perhaps even more exciting; it is designed to protect and engage each environmental interface: landscape, marine and human, and include closed loop systems for food, waste, energy, water, economy. It was awarded LEED Platinum certificate as the first convention centre in the world, and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Top Green Project.