University of Toronto, Academic Wood Tower

Toronto, Ontario

In Collaboration with Patkau Architects

Rotman Executive Programs, Munk School of Global Affairs, Faculty of Arts & Science, Lecture Halls, Classrooms, Computer Labs, Research Labs, Collaboration Zones, Study Spaces, Office Space, Meeting and Conference Space, Event and Performance Space, Catering Kitchen, Accessible Roof Terrace
Structural: Blackwell
Envelope: RDH Building Science
Mechanical / Electrical: Smith + Andersen
Civil: EMC
Landscape: MJMA
2019 Canadian Architect: Award of Excellence

Currently in construction, the Academic Wood Tower (AWT) is a fifteen-storey classroom and office building for the University of Toronto. At almost eighty meters in height, it will be Canada’s tallest timber building. Adjacent to Bloor Street in the heart of the St. George Campus, the AWT is an iconic presence and a visual manifesto of the University’s commitment to sustainable development.

The Tower sits atop of the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport, a research and recreational facility that was designed to support the expansion of a future tower. The AWT project contains a variety of program types for multiple faculties and user groups, including the Rotman Executive Education Group, Munk School of Global Affairs, Arts & Sciences, and the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education.

The exterior of the AWT extends the folded vocabulary established by the Goldring Centre. The result is a nuanced form that shifts as one moves around the building and reveals key aspects of its structural design.

To the north, the tower also links to the historic building housing the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. The fully-glazed north façade prominently displays the wood structure to Bloor Street below.

The connective spaces between the buildings are dramatic moments: glimpses of a basketball game from the shared lobby, framed views from the feature stair, interconnections at double-height overlooks, or access to the roof terrace.

A two-sided lobby and associated site development provide a direct pedestrian link through the building between Varsity Field and St. George Street.

The top level of the tower will become a premier events space with commercial kitchens and a large banquet hall, with stunning panoramic views to the city and campus beyond.