Building design

The renovation of McMaster University’s Life Sciences Biology Building (LSBB) involved a multi-phased refurbishment of the original brutalist LSBB (first constructed in the 1970s), with the addition of a state-of-the-art, 11,400 SF Greenhouse with connecting labs, study spaces, and other amenities. This renovation has successfully integrated the new greenhouse with the pre-existing building, while simultaneously fulfilling additional objectives of the university, including operational efficiency, student experience, and sustainability, among others. The renewal of this critical facility has established the Department of Biology as a vital part of the entry sequence to the Hamilton campus, existing as a thoughtfully designed and durabl... More

The Ismaili Centre, designed by Moriyama Teshima Architects in association with Charles Correa Associates, uniquely responds to established Islamic building traditions, while incorporating contemporary architectural form, materiality, and construction methods. The architectural language distinguishes a community that is both informed by its past and modern in its outlook, inviting peaceful faith and contemplation, intellectual discovery, and public outreach. Shai Gil The first of its kind in North America, the unique roof of the prayer hall is constructed of elegant structural steel trusses of various depths and dimensions, which are covered by a double layer of glass. The glass rises in the shape of an inverted cone and is pieced toge... More

Protecting, respecting and enhancing the Rideau Canal and River is a fundamental municipal, provincial and national priority. The Carleton University Campus is quite literally framed by these two waterways – the Canal along the east and north edges, and the River to the south. The new campus master plan calls for all buildings on campus to act as paths between these natural landscapes and vessels that frame and highlight views outward. Directly on the waterfront, the 143,000 SF Richcraft Hall (formerly River Building) does just that. Doublespace Photography Doublespace Photography Doublespace Photography Doublespace Photography The multi and interdisciplinary home to the School of International Affairs, Public Pol... More

The Multi-Faith Centre at the University of Toronto accommodates spiritual and faith-based practices, encouraging interfaith dialogue and spiritual development as part of campus life. The space is a uniquely versatile venue in which people of all faiths feel equally welcome and equally valued. Selective alterations to the existing interior create ‘faith-neutral’ spaces that provide sanctuary and retreat for all people, creating opportunities for interfaith dialogue and study.  Tom Arban Tom Arban ‘Light’ (spiritual and metaphysical) emerged as a common theme to all faiths and became the central feature of the main facility hall. A dramatic ceiling and front wall of backlit translucent white onyx panel... More

The Goldring Student Centre at Victoria University, at the University of Toronto, is a renovation and expansion of the existing 1952 Student Union building known as Wymilwood, a historically listed building by Eric Arthur. Designed to LEED Silver, the new Student Centre doubles the size of the original building and introduces contemporary and accessible, indoor and outdoor student and administrative spaces. Tom Arban Tom Arban Tom Arban Formal spaces include the offices of the Dean of Students, Student President and Governing Council, Alumni Affairs, and other governing bodies. A variety of informal spaces, such as student lounges, study and seminar rooms, as well as outdoor patios and terraces, provide users alternative, le... More

The Trinity College School campus is made up of old neo-gothic brick and stone buildings dating from the late 1800s, and woven together with buildings built throughout the 1900s. The primary goal of the Learning Commons Project was to create a space that supports and encourages multiple learning styles: social learning, individual study, group study, group projects, one-on-one guidance, and classroom instruction. With this in mind, and to accommodate a growth in space needs, an underused courtyard near the heart of the campus was enclosed to create a new Student Commons space. Scott Norsworthy Scott Norsworthy Scott Norsworthy A large new lower lounge space was designed to be flexible in order to accommodate various student,... More

Nestled between two existing buildings at the northwestern edge of Humber’s Lakeshore Campus, the Athletic Centre is the first Humber building that people see as they travel eastbound on the busy Lake Shore Boulevard. Scott Norsworthy Scott Norsworthy Scott Norsworthy The building’s façade is animated by vertical sunscreen fins, whose dynamic arrangements produce kinetic optical effects when viewed from passing traffic. The fins also act as sunscreens to protect the interior spaces from the southern sun, as well as provide some privacy in the spaces that house more discrete programs. Scott Norsworthy Scott Norsworthy Scott Norsworthy Designed to achieve LEED Silver certification, the Athlet... More

Together with Architecttura Inc., Moriyama Teshima Architects delivered a beautiful, cost-effective facility for the City of Windsor that is efficient, transparent, functional, customer service-oriented, and sustainable. Built adjacent to the waterfront park and within the parking lot directly behind Windsor's existing City Hall, the new 107,000 SF facility is a central component and anchor for the new Downtown Core Civic Square, which will include new cultural and recreational facilities as well as a new development from the University of Windsor's St. Clair College. Shai Gil Shai Gil Shai Gil Shai Gil The vision for Windsor City Hall's program was to increase accessibility by way of streamlined service areas for the p... More

Set at the crossroads of two historic transportation routes, the Waterloo Region Museum celebrates the region’s pioneering past and technology-driven present in an iconic landmark building. The museum’s colourful “quilt wall” of illuminated glass panels is based upon the vivid hues of quilts from the region's reputation as the quilt capital of Canada, but the interpretation is high-tech: computer code translates into colour a seminal 1905 quote by Canadian Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier that speaks to community, identity, and Canada’s emerging cultural mosaic. The vibrant quilt pattern is repeated at the museum’s main entrance, where coloured panels are fused with images from the museum’s collection... More