As construction on the new York University Subway Station approaches completion near Toronto's northern boundary, York's post-secondary campus is growing in anticipation of its strengthened connection to the urban core. With the showpiece Bergeron Centre already a fixture of the growing University, and a new Student Centre under construction since last Fall, work on the latest addition to the school got underway at the start of this year. In early January, construction began on the expansion of York's Schulich School of Business. 

Shulich's new Research and Graduate Buidling, image via York University

Designed by Baird Sampson Neuert—a Toronto-based architectural firm specializing in institutional and educational projects—work on the 67,000 ft² facility is now underway immediately east of the existing faculty. Following preliminary site work throughout January, shoring is now underway.

Construction progress on February 8th, image via York University

Adjoined to the older Seymour Schulich Building along the north elevation, the three-storey Research and Graduate Study Building will be the new home for Schulich's post-graduate studies, while also providing a variety of community-oriented amenities for both graduate and undergraduate students. Alongside three new classrooms, study space, faculty offices, breakout and seminar rooms, the facility will house a variety of social and community programming.  

The central atrium, image via York University

Clustered around a generously proportioned atrium—which will serve as a communal space—the non-academic programming will include a café, a student marketplace, and a fitness & wellness centre, as well as a landscaped outdoor courtyard. 

A graphic illustrating the solar chimney, along with a cross-section rendering, image via York University

Featuring ample natural light, water efficient features, rainwater capture, the design incorporates a number of passive thermo-regulation features, including a 27-metre solar chimney—which provides passive cooling in the summer, and solar heating in the winter—and exterior fins that minimize solar heat gain. Much of the structure's footprint is set to be covered by a green roof, while the surrounding landscaping is programmed to prioritize native plantings, creating a drought-tolerant and a relatively biodiverse ecology.  The $50 million building is designed to meet LEED Gold standards. 

View from courtyard, looking northeast, image via York University

Like York's New Student Centre—and a host of new institutional buildings in Toronto and around the world—the new facility aims to integrate quality of space and communal settings with formal uses. For students, the preponderance of light, open spaces, and flexibly programmable spaces, is designed to foster a more pleasant ambiance, improving quality of life on campus. 

Seminar room, image via York University

We will keep you updated as construction continues, and Schulich's new Research and Gradaute Study Building brings another new element to York University. To learn more, make sure to check out our dataBase file, linked below. Want to share your thoughts about the project? Leave a comment in the space below, or join the conversation in our associated Forum thread.