The SAHURI + Teeple team has been working closely with UBC, UBC Okanagan and UBC Properties Trust in the design of this new focal point of student life on the Okanagan Campus.
The program consists of two parts—a new residence and a “Commons” which includes a 500-seat dining hall, and a student HUB, consisting of study spaces, meeting spaces, fitness areas and a ballroom. These active areas form a dynamic largely transparent base that animates the new campus spaces formed by the insertion of the new building and also extends and enhances existing major campus circulation routes and gathering spaces.
The building is the first major social hub for the campus residence community and has been designed to actively bring students together in an environment where they can meet, socialize, study and collaborate, encouraging wellness and community building. Beyond its crucial importance for UBC students, the building will also be a major venue for special events, including significant off-season conference use. In support of this, it has been designed to be flexible and directly support University’s business goals and ambitions to build more active relationships with the community.
The LEED Gold Candidate building will feature energy transfer from the kitchen to residence and will utilize the campus-wide Low- Temperature District Energy (LDES) System.