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MTE Consultants Acquires RIZZ Engineering, Strengthening Expertise in Structural Design and Precast Concrete

Breithaupt Block
Commercial & Retail

The Breithaupt Block Office Buildings

Partners

Martin Simmons Sweers Architects, Perimeter Development

Key personnel

Kurt Ruhland, P.Eng.

Project overview

Google’s various office complexes in downtown Kitchener mark a significant architectural achievement in the area’s recent urban redevelopment. The development of Breithaupt I, II, and III has successfully blended industrial heritage with contemporary design.

Breithaupt I has been transformed from a historic heritage building into a contemporary office space. Its unique E-shaped design seamlessly integrates office areas with strategically positioned courtyards, creating inviting environments for dining, recreation, and social gatherings.

Breithaupt II also features the reuse of a heritage industrial structure, transformed into a modern office space as well. This redevelopment project preserved two original floors from the 1950s, introduced a ‘beltline’ to demarcate the old and new sections, and added a two-storey glass extension.

Adjacent to these buildings, is Breithaupt III, a six-storey office. Its design includes vertical glass stacking and prominent steel columns at the entrance, connected to Breithaupt II via a third-storey bridge.

These interconnected structures collectively accommodate Google’s offices in downtown Kitchener, enhancing the area’s architectural landscape.

MTE's Involvement

Our team was thrilled to partner with Perimeter Development and Martin Simmons Sweers Architects to bring this project to life.

MTE proudly contributed a range of consulting services across multiple phases of the Google Offices in Downtown Kitchener. The Google offices are situated across three distinct locations: Breithaupt I, II, and III.

For Breithaupt I, MTE served as both civil and structural consultants. As the civil consultant, MTE delivered site plans and an encroachment reference plan, and recently facilitated a sewer rebate. On the structural front, MTE conducted a feasibility study, provided floor stiffening solutions, and managed loading considerations for the industrial heritage building.

At Breithaupt II, MTE provided structural consulting, building science evaluations, and surveying services. Our survey team provided a survey for the construction layout of the site. Our building science experts provided a LEED Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) testing to ensure compliance with LEED standards. Our structural team provided consulting services for all the additions and renovations of the building, which also include the bridge to Breithaupt I and distinctive rooftop and wall signage. Additionally, MTE oversaw the structural consulting for the pergola deck and foundation.

For the implementation of Breithaupt III, MTE is responsible for providing structural engineering services, more specifically, the implementation of cold-formed steel (CFS) into the structural design of the building and ceiling.