Chartwell Head Office

Chartwell Retirement Residences operates over 175 senior living facilities across four provinces in Canada. Maple Reinders was awarded the Construction Management contract for Chartwell’s new corporate headquarters. The facility is constructed on a five-acre greenfield site with Maple Reinders responsible for both the base building and the interior fit-out work.

The project consists of a three-storey office building, with a total office area of approximately 126,500 SF, with structured parking below the footprint of the office. The building features open plan offices to maximize natural daylight, a cafeteria/training auditorium, kitchen/servery, fitness amenities, second floor atrium overlook and greenroof/terrace.

Although Chartwell is not pursuing LEED^® accreditation, sustainability is a priority for the project, and sustainable construction measures will be implemented during construction.

The project team utilized “bubble deck” technology, incorporating hollow plastic balls (recycled from items such as old kayaks), which are inserted into the slab and held in place by reinforcing steel. This innovative technique reduces the volume of structural concrete by up to 35% and construction costs by as much as 10% – while maintaining the two-way span (biaxial) strength.

Maple Reinders also installed smart glass windows, which electronically darken and lighten depending on the angle and heat of the sun, providing protection from excessive glare and ultraviolet rays in addition to reducing overall solar heat gain – without obstructing the view as blinds or curtains do. As temperatures cool, the glass responds automatically, allowing more of the sun’s warming rays into the space and resulting in a self-balancing solar benefit.