The Robert G. Kuhn Centre at Trinity Western University (TWU) is the new home of the university’s school of business and TWU GLOBAL, an international and online degree program.
The building was born from a desire for a new gateway building that would define the campus entry, set the standard for future teaching and learning spaces on campus, and solidify TWU’s position as a leading post-secondary institution.
The solution that emerged out of vision-and-needs sessions was a light-filled, 7,150 sqm four-storey mass timber structure with a mix of formal and informal learning spaces to accommodate an ever-evolving student population.
The Kuhn Centre, which is the first major project in nearly 40 years, is a landmark upon entering the campus. Inside the building, a four-storey ovalized central atrium organizes the program, with learning spaces – both traditional and informal – adjacent to the atrium. Programmed areas take advantage of natural light with extensive curtain-wall glazing and views out to the campus.
Locally-sourced mass timber was chosen as the primary structural material as it delivered an economical structure, expedited construction, and reduced embodied carbon. It also facilitates clear spans that are desirable for flexible learning environments, and promotes biophilia and warmth for all building users. The timber super-structure is supported by concrete stair cores that exceed the current building code.
Sustainability initiatives go beyond the decision to use mass timber. Passive strategies include daylighting, a highly efficient envelope, a thermal chimney created by the atrium, and custom-designed solar shades. Active strategies include a mechanical system with zoned roof-top units supported by heat pumps, plus a heat recovery system offered by the interconnected atrium.
This innovative building will serve as an important precedent for subsequent on-campus developments, as well as an inspiration for the mass timber and institutional design communities in Western Canada.
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