Project
LiUNA Local 183 Headquarters
Location
Vaughan, Ontario
Award Winner
Diamond Schmitt Architects
Project Team
Architect: Diamond Schmitt Architects
Acoustics: Valcoustics
Green Roof Consultant: ZinCo Canada Inc.
LEED Consultant: Footprint
Structural Engineer: RJC Engineers
Building Code Consultant: LMDG Code Consultants
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer: Smith + Andersen
Building Envelope Consultant: BVDA Façade Engineering Ltd.
Construction: Skygrid
Landscape Architect: PMA Landscape Architects
Civil Engineer: MTE Consultants Inc.
Commissioning: CFMS
LiUNA Local 183 Headquarters
The design process reflects the needs of LiUNA Local 183’s broad member community by consolidating workplace, training, wellness, service, assembly, and community functions into one accessible headquarters. The building supports 70,000 members and creates flexible spaces for union meetings, events, learning, healthcare, and informal gathering. Its public-facing programs, central atrium, landscaped courtyard, and Gerry Gallagher Hall demonstrate a process focused on openness, visibility, and community engagement.
The project is LEED BD+C v4 Silver certified and serves as the first phase of a larger master plan campus. It delivers 290,000 square feet of flexible office, member service, training, assembly, wellness, and amenity space while establishing new public roads, utilities, and a civic presence in Vaughan. Its combination of green roofs, high-performance envelope, water reuse, daylight-filled interiors, and community-oriented programming makes it both a sustainability benchmark and a new social anchor for LiUNA Local 183.
The project manages water through an integrated landscape and roof strategy that combines green roofs, cistern-fed irrigation, and reduced indoor potable water demand. A total of 14,228 m² of soft landscaping is distributed across the ground plane and stepped green roofs, supporting stormwater retention, heat island mitigation, and a more resilient site ecology. All irrigation is supplied by cistern water, eliminating potable water use for landscape irrigation, while differentiated hydrozones and drip irrigation improve efficiency. Indoors, high-efficiency plumbing fixtures reduce potable water consumption by 74 percent relative to the LEED v4 BD+C baseline.
The headquarters advances health and well-being by integrating workplace, healthcare, wellness, and recreational programs into one accessible campus. Member services include wellness and rehabilitation areas, medical and dental clinics, a pharmacy, financial services, and recreational amenities.
Site porosity and a south-facing landscaped courtyard strengthen connections across the campus, while 40,000 square feet of roof terraces extend gathering space vertically. The extensive green roofs are visible from the interior classrooms and offices creating a connection to nature and a calm environment.
Large shallow floor plates, extensive glazing, transparent interiors, and maximized ceiling heights create a light-filled environment with strong visibility, daylight, and views for occupants. Corridors and mezzanines function as informal lounges and gathering areas, encouraging movement and social connection.
Biophilic plantings in the atrium foster a calming connection to nature, while low-emitting materials and enhanced indoor air quality strategies support occupant comfort and long-term health.
