• Client:

  UBC Properties Trust

• Budget:

  $23 million

• Size:

  7000 m²

• Completion Date:

  Spring 2012

• Joint Venture:

  Dialog in association with Public Architecture + Communication

This state of the art facility will be the primary comparative medicine research facility on Campus. A complex of single storey buildings accommodates necessary adjacencies between holding and processing elements while allowing all research to happen on one level. Unifying the diverse programmatic spaces is a roof strategy that responds to the need for systems flexibility, access to natural daylight, passive heating and collecting storm water. Steel columns support a corrugated roof with a north-south grain of roof monitors. East facing monitors drive morning light into the heart of the main building and allow preheating during the heating season and natural ventilation during the cooling season. Because at grade windows to the outside must be carefully controlled for security and privacy, the roof monitors are an important orientation device for users of the building. Rooms containing non secure activities such as training and break rooms are located to the south and enjoy a view to the existing forest.
Conventional and containment holding wings connecting to the north and south sides of the main building. The holding areas are a flexible array of semi enclosed spaces oriented to maximize direct sunlight. Together with the phase 1 out building, the two wings enclose a green courtyard. Storm water is collected and filtered on site in a series of retention ponds, which add to the natural setting. South of the main building are two caretaker residences situated in the agrarian landscape. Both take advantage of southern exposure and a dedicated entry at the end of the parking lot.
The first phase of the  is a fast track out building which houses a welding shop and storage areas for hay, dry goods and a tractor. It is a single storey concrete block wall enclosure on slab on grade with a galvanized steel roof structure. All materials have been selected for ease of cleaning of biocontaminants. This simple agrarian building has been designed to be virtually maintenance free over its 75 year lifespan.