Pumphouse Commercial and Residential Building / 5468796 Architecture

A mixed-use redevelopment on former railway lands, Pumphouse demonstrates how heritage, site, and budget challenges can inspire innovation, sparking new ideas about attainable housing design and city-building. Originally constructed in 1906 to improve the city's water supply system, the James Avenue Pumping Station closed in 1986 and was slated for demolition. After 17 failed attempts to revive the building within Winnipeg's Exchange District National Historic Site, 5468796 Architecture convinced an existing client to connect with the City-as-owner to take on an unsolicited conceptual design proposal and financial pro-forma, leading to the building's successful preservation – and new life. The project approaches the existing Pumping Station as a "found object", integrating an office and restaurant within while flanking the heritage building with two residential blocks that push the potentials of multi-family housing.