Nicol Building, Sprott School of Business

Carleton University, Ottawa, ON

The design for the Sprott School of Business embodies the school’s vision to be known as an innovative, creative, and socially responsible institution. The site will act as a natural focal point of the university as it rests at the convergence of three branches of the school’s tunnel system and sits adjacent to Campus Avenue. Not only will this site become the new heart of the Sprott School of Business and attract the very best students and faculty, but it will also serve as an active hub for the greater Carleton community.

The core of the building, the Forum, is designed to encourage collaboration and facilitate interactive learning. The Forum radiates out to reveal the world-class Research Centre, Resource Centre, and Business Incubator. The ground floor opens upwards to the second and third levels, which arc around a sky-lit three-storey atrium—firmly engaging the community of classrooms and the large lecture theatre on those levels. The curved design will contrast with the rectangular geometry of the existing buildings, featuring a gentle arc encircling the contents within. Locating the faculty offices around the perimeter of the curve allows for windows in every office and expansive views of the surrounding landscape and campus.

Project Facts
Client
Carleton University
Location
Ottawa, ON
Status
Completed 2021
Size
115,000 sq. ft.
Partner
Siamak Hariri
Selected Awards

2022 – Architizer, Architizer A+ Award in Higher Education Design

Sketches by Siamak Hariri

The site, and its relationship to the wider campus, acts as a natural point of attraction. The building will become a fulcrum of energy—resting at the intersection of east and west, the convergence of three branches of the tunnel system, adjacency to Campus Avenue, and close proximity to a busy drop-off area.

Wood Model Studies
The curve of the building and the three extruded storeys at the back of the site allow for stunning views from classrooms and offices across the campus to the Rideau River.
Wood Model Study of Façade
The ground floor organizes dynamic communal programs around the main lobby event space, infusing it with energy and life.
The dynamic three-storey core is accentuated by a curved feature stair that links the ground floor to the teaching areas on the second and third floors.