New Ontario Tech University Academic Building Nears Completion

A new $48-million building on the campus of Ontario Tech University's north Oshawa campus will "respond" to sunlight and solar orientation. The project will deliver 80,000 square feet of new, technology-enhanced academic, administrative and student support spaces along with amenities and social spaces to the Ontario Tech Academic Building. The full building is 111,000 square feet.

The building exterior, which combines concrete, metal, wood and stone, uses four types of shaped concrete panels throughout the entire structure. According to co-designer Montgomery Sisam Architects, the concrete panels are angled in different ways, creating differences in light and shadow and weightlessness and mass in the interior spaces as the solar orientation shifts during the day.

University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) solar orientation building
The new general academic and student building at Ontario Tech University is designed to revolve around solar orientation.
Source: Montgomery Sisam Architects

Parts of the building were also designed to be more highly visible and transparent, while others were meant to be "more hidden and tucked away." The side that faces the campus quad, for example, is highly visible as people approach from the exterior. That's where public activities are meant to happen. On Levels 1 and 2, the student union, enhanced-learning, lounge and study spaces are arrayed around a large open atrium, activating the perimeter and animating the building frontages. A stairway leads to the high-traffic student club space and conference center in the lower-level. Levels three, four and five are intended for student life amenities, classrooms and administrative offices, as well as smaller social spaces for quieter study.

On the exterior, a plinth and canopy wrap around the building at the ground floor, according to the designers, "to create a human scale at the street level."

Montgomery Sisam was joined by Architecture Counsel, which led the project's initial business case and feasibility study through to project completion.

It was planned as a facility where the campus community could "come together to learn, collaborate and unwind," the university noted in its construction update. The goals were threefold: to encourage students, faculty and staff "to stick around because they want to be here"; apply the latest technology, to encourage "student-to-student learning"; and be as sustainable as possible.

The building will eventually house:

  • The Faculty of Health Sciences' lecture theaters, academic offices and labs, including a high-tech simulation lab that will provide access to 3D solutions and augmented and virtual reality;
  • The Office of Student Life and support services; and
  • Ontario Tech University Student Union.

Previously, the student union and student life operations were housed in portables.

The structure is expected to be completed "as close as possible" to the target date of fall 2021, the university stated.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2025 New Product Awards

    Spaces4Learning is now accepting entries for the 2025 New Product Awards! The program’s goal is to honor the outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products and services are particularly noteworthy in helping to improve K–12 and Higher Education learning environments.

  • ECM Technologies Wins ‘Most Innovative Business of the Year’ Award

    HVAC preventative maintenance and efficiency solutions provider ECM Technologies was recently named the “Most Innovative Business of the Year” at the 2025 Champions of Change Awards, according to a news release. The program recognizes Arizona business leaders and organizations taking steps to make a positive impact on the state through innovative thinking and philanthropy.

  • bar graph with the bars made out of abstract cinder blocks and other construction materials

    Spaces4Learning 2025 Trends in K–12: Materials & Construction

    With 2025 well underway, it’s time to take a look at some broader trends submitted by you, our Spaces4Learning readership. We asked for your thoughts on topics like classroom design, health & safety, materials & construction, and technology in both K–12 and higher-education environments. Below is a roundup of 2025 trends in K–12 materials and construction from the experts in the trenches.

  • Springfield Breaks Ground on $53.7M Pipkin Middle School Rebuild

    Construction is underway on a new, state-of-the-art Pipkin Middle School in Springfield, Mo., a major step in Springfield Public Schools’ (SPS) long-term facility improvement plan, according to local news. The $53.7-million project officially broke ground in early June, following years of planning and community input aimed at modernizing aging infrastructure and addressing student capacity concerns.

Digital Edition