A significant first step in the phased development of the New Stratford Campus for the University of Waterloo.
The Digital Media Lab building represents a significant first step in the phased development of the New Stratford Campus for the University of Waterloo. While the programming focus is digital media, the campus capitalizes on emerging technologies as it grows to become one of the most exciting, dynamic educational environments in North America.
The 45,000 square foot, three-storey facility is located on a brown field site and is inspired by the adjacent industrial and railway heritage buildings. Beginning with the robust simplicity and powerful structure that characterizes the existing buildings on site, our design creates something new from old including the multi-level Event Space that opens toward the street. Within the Event Space, a digital screen tile wall was created – the tallest in the world – as an expressive element within that can grow vertically into a multi-level “Monolith” connecting all levels of the building and outwards to the City.
The design planning was driven by the desire to create a flexible, collaborative learning environment – a veritable hub of creative entrepreneurial technology. Sectionally, the building design uses the collaboration spaces to create a stepped back configuration of openness and overlook on all three levels connected by an open convenience stair.