University of British Columbia Begins Construction on Gateway Building

The University of British Columbia began construction in December of 2022 on the CAD$180 million Gateway Building in Vancouver. Designed by Perkins&Will and Schmidt Hammer Lassen, the 267,000-sf project will offer sophisticated facilities for interprofessional education including wet and dry labs, high-fidelity simulation suites, flexible classrooms, and four large lecture halls. The highly collaborative center will house the School of Nursing, the School of Kinesiology, Integrated Student Health Services, space for the Health and Language Sciences Initiative, and administrative offices for UBC Health.

Located on the Point Grey campus, the transformative development will comprise a six-story daylit atrium connecting two five-story wings. With mass timber elements and finishes on display throughout the building, the biophilic facility will encourage physical activity with large interconnecting stairs that reach from the basement to the top floor. Targeting a minimum of LEED Gold certification, the sustainably designed structure will leverage advanced mechanical systems, passive design strategies, and a high-performance envelope to significantly reduce energy consumption. It will also be the university’s first project constructed to meet the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building Standard. Occupancy is expected in August of 2024.