Integrated Health Sciences Campus

University of Waterloo and McMaster University, Kitchener, ON

The University of Waterloo’s School of Pharmacy—Phase I of the Integrated Health Sciences Campus—establishes a striking gateway to downtown Kitchener. Designed to challenge traditional distinctions between research, education, and care delivery, the project is both a pedagogical and urban design experiment. Its form, anchored by an eight-storey tower, supports collaborative learning and interdisciplinary exchange.

Clad in locally sourced limestone, copper, and recycled wood, the building accommodates faculty and student laboratories, lecture and seminar rooms, and a large auditorium. Located at a prominent downtown intersection, the structure reinforces the University’s commitment to revitalizing the urban core.

Initiated in 2003 as a public-private partnership between the City of Kitchener and the University of Waterloo, the Integrated Health Sciences Campus offers quality pharmaceutical education and healthcare services within a city-owned site. The School of Pharmacy exemplifies a forward-thinking model for education and urban renewal.

Phase II of the campus—the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine for McMaster University—adds a family clinic and commercial pharmacy to the mix. Daily life at the campus is centered around a courtyard and a central fireplace that offer warm, communal gathering spaces for students and faculty alike.

Project Facts
Client
University of Waterloo, McMaster University
Location
Kitchener, ON
Status
Completed 2009
Size
161,000 sq. ft.
Partner
Siamak Hariri
Project
Team
IBI Group, Young + Wright Architectural
Selected Awards

2011 – Ontario Association of Architects, Design Excellence Award

2010 – Design Exchange, Silver Medal, Architecture, Commercial

Custom-designed glass panels on the exterior elevations showcase plants featured in the School’s medicinal garden, supporting a holistic approach to pharmaceutical research and study. The curtain wall not only conveys the history of pharmacy, but also enlivens the streetscape and reduces sunlight penetration, controlling solar heat gain.

“The HP-Architectural team has created a facility that adds distinction not only to the City, but has captured the intention nationally. The impression gained by all is that the exterior and interior exhibit unity that reflects excellence in appearance and function.”

—Dr. Jake Thiessen, Founding Director, School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo

The locally sourced interior finishes were carefully chosen to meet the needs of the School. Finished with recycled wood flooring, Algonquin limestone, and copper detailing, the building features expansive corridors, light-filled spaces, and high ceilings that provide a warm welcome to students and faculty.

The Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine is Phase II of the University of Waterloo’s Integrated Health Sciences Campus.

The interior layout was planned to facilitate interaction; for example, the pinwheel form of the nurses’ station maximizes space and relates to the surrounding examination rooms. Classrooms and offices make up the remainder of the three-storey building.

The School of Medicine’s subdued design contrasts with its landmark neighbour, the School of Pharmacy. The brick mass of the façade visually anchors the corner of the site and appears to hover over the large glass windows of the first storey. Positioned at the edge of the revitalizing warehouse district, the campus provides a community benefit and serves as a gateway to downtown Kitchener.