Location: Toronto, ON
Architects: Stantec Architecture Ltd. and KPMB Architects in joint venture
Date of completion: 2012
OAA Awards 2016 Design Excellence Finalist

Located in Toronto’s emerging waterfront neighbourhood, the George Brown College Waterfront Campus consolidates the college’s four healthcare schools - Dental Health, Health and Wellness, Health Services Management, and Nursing - in a single, purpose built facility which aims to change how healthcare services are delivered across the province. The eight storey vertical campus reflects a shift in Ontario’s healthcare system, moving away from isolated medical functions to a team-based, patient-centred approach.

Building section highlighting the continuous learning landscape

The design embodies the principles of Inter-Professional Education pedagogy, where students from two or more professions learn about, from and with each other to enable effective real-world collaboration. The building’s section is organized as a continuous, vertical ‘learning landscape’ from concourse level to its rooftop terrace to reinforce the college’s commitment to integrated learning. Areas for collaboration abound within the facility, and generous public spaces offer opportunities for individual study and team work.

Learning landscape

The building is composed of three major interconnected volumes – a flexible laboratory loft, a learning landscape, and a floating library and teaching pavilion – with the overall composition grounded along the west side by an academic bar containing classrooms, practice laboratories and academic offices. On the south and east sides, expansive glazing connects the building to Lake Ontario and Sherbourne Commons. The campus is an important element in bringing year-round activity to Toronto’s waterfront, providing a significant social and economic stimulus to the emerging neighbourhood.

 

This innovative vertical campus demonstrates how well designed physical spaces can enable new forms of learning and working, supporting new pedagogies and helping shape the future of our healthcare system.

To view the complete submission, including additional images and drawings, please click here.

This post (6/20) is part of the OAA Awards 2016 Design Excellence Finalists blOAAg series celebrating the best of Ontario architecture. Every day during the month of March we will be posting a new finalist. You can view all posts by clicking here. Winners will be announced April 1, 2016.