The new Academic Building at Grenfell Campus is an expansion of its oldest and most central building, the existing Arts & Science Building. The building has become the new centre of the Campus, both functionally and physically. It includes instruction space, technical laboratories, research areas, lecture theatre and an observation level focused on a research-level telescope. The design team spent much of the design process collaborating with multiple user groups across several faculties to ensure operational and programming criteria were understood and met.

In order to meet project delivery schedule requirements, this project was constructed in several phases to help fast-track delivery. This created several design and construction challenges above and beyond typical technical challenges. For example, the design team had to establish the technical needs of the telescope’s foundation pier in advance in order to accommodate the concrete under an earlier construction contract.

The building also includes the province’s first use of a structural glazing system as part of the building envelope. Having a serpentine form in plan, this required close collaboration with the consultant’s team of engineers as well as potential suppliers to provide this unique structure and glazing system.

This building is LEED Certified. It incorporates key features including energy recovery systems, high-performance envelope, and natural day lighting to reduce demand on artificial lighting systems.