Strategy 2 – Inspiring Spaces

Groundbreaking ‘tanked’ parkade to deepen UBCO’s roots in downtown Kelowna

Groundbreaking ‘tanked’ parkade to deepen UBCO’s roots in downtown Kelowna

UBC Okanagan is redefining urban infrastructure and sustainable construction practices in Kelowna with the construction of a state-of-the-art underground parking garage for UBCO Downtown. This four-storey, below-grade parkade—built to serve the facility and reduce parking impacts in the area—will set a record as the deepest parkade in the Kelowna area. It employs an innovative ‘tanked’ […]

Seismic upgrades at MOA: How base isolation technology can preserve cultural heritage

Seismic upgrades at MOA: How base isolation technology can preserve cultural heritage

The Great Hall of the Museum of Anthropology at UBC (MOA) is a cultural and architectural masterpiece that requires modern seismic safety measures to protect against future risks. In a Q & A with the Sustainability Hub, Dr. Tony Yang, a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and an expert in earthquake engineering, discusses […]

UBC engineering, architecture students redefine sustainable construction

UBC engineering, architecture students redefine sustainable construction

In April, the Faculty of Applied Science welcomed students into a vibrant new teaching and learning space that is one of Canada’s first institutional spaces designed to be near-zero embodied carbon. The bright and airy 2,400-square-foot wood frame building, called Third Space Commons, emitted nearly-zero carbon emissions during construction, a feat that many view to […]

Activate UBC: Student Recreation Centre North

Activate UBC: Student Recreation Centre North

The Student Recreation Centre North facility will be built on the large plaza space situated immediately north of the UBC Life Building (formerly the Student Union Building) and at the western end of Student Union Boulevard. Located at the heart of UBC’s Vancouver campus, the building will include an outdoor walkway corridor at ground level […]

UBC student team aims to build a net-zero student space on campus

UBC student team aims to build a net-zero student space on campus

UBC’s award-winning Third Quadrant Design – a team of more than 60 students in engineering, architecture, business, and arts – is about to start construction of a new student space on campus that redefines sustainable design. The 247-square-metre building, officially known as the Third Space Commons, will serve as a collaborative working space and living […]

UBC Okanagan expanding to downtown Kelowna

UBC Okanagan expanding to downtown Kelowna

After living on the outskirts of the city for more than 16 years, UBC Okanagan plans to open its doors in a new location immersed in the heart of the city. With nine faculties and schools, close to 12,000 students and 700 faculty members, UBC Okanagan has established itself as an innovative hub for research […]

UBC Okanagan student residence receives Passive House certification

UBC Okanagan student residence receives Passive House certification

While climate change is seeing global temperatures trending up, UBC’s Okanagan campus is committed to trending greenhouse gas emissions down and its newest and most efficient student residence building is playing no small part in those ambitious plans. In May 2022, UBCO’s Skeena Residence officially received Passive House certification—a stringent set of efficient design and […]

UBC Library opens new Conservation Space in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre

UBC Library opens new Conservation Space in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre

A specialized Conservation Space designed to facilitate the conservation, preservation, and treatment of the library’s physical materials has recently been opened at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. The creation of this space will enable UBC’s Preservation Unit to work with greater efficiency and tackle more demanding and challenging responsibilities. The Conservation Space, which opened […]

Art in the Streets of Downtown Kelowna

Art in the Streets of Downtown Kelowna

For a number of UBC Okanagan Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) students, the empty building faces of downtown Kelowna are fast becoming a welcoming canvas outside of the classroom. As part of the BFA program, instructors David Doody and his partner Jorden Doody supervised the creation of two downtown murals, both located on St. Paul […]

People and Place: The beating heart of UBC Pharmaceutical Sciences

People and Place: The beating heart of UBC Pharmaceutical Sciences

The UBC Pharmaceutical Sciences building on UBC’s Vancouver campus, located at the intersection of Wesbrook Mall and Agronomy Road, is a 246,000square-foot architectural landmark. Opened in 2012, the building is home to an ever-expanding Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and transformational hub of learning, research, and innovation. The construction of the building was made possible by […]