Award

M A R C H 2 0 2 3 | 71 Haskayne School Of Business – University of Calgary P H OTO G R A P H Y BY TO M A R BA N /CO U RT E S Y D I A M O N D S C H M I T T A RC H I T EC T S HASKAYNE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS – UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY by STACEY MCLACHLAN W hen the University of Calgary (U of C) first opened its business school in Scurfield Hall in 1986, it was the ideal home base for the 1,000 students in the program. Four floors of classrooms looked out into a glass-covered central atrium – not a bad environment at all for gathering and exchanging ideas. But by 2020, the Haskayne School of Business had 4,000 scholars, and sud- denly this perfect fit was feeling a little snug. "Our students were all over campus, taking classes everywhere. There were business courses in science buildings," explains Haskayne dean Jim Dewald. "There was an impetus to catch up to the size we'd gotten to." And so, U of C approached Calgary's Diamond Schmitt Architects and GGA- Architecture to collaborate on a second business school building. The new Mathison Hall would be attached to the well-loved but overflowing Scurfield Hall – and ideally hit some lofty sus- tainability goals in the process. "Our number one goal was that we wanted a seamless connection between Scurfield and the new Hall," says Dewald. Despite the potential challenges of construction during COVID, the new Mathison Hall was completed both on time and on budget, clocking in at $90 million and opening just in time for the start of the 2023 winter semester. A four-storey atrium is the hub of the bright, airy space, but there are cozy, intimate moments here too – the fireplace, for instance, is one of the more popular study spots. The archi- tecture team considered the spread of different users – from the first-year undergrad to the weary master's stu- dent – and created spaces at different scales and for different learning styles. "My biggest takeaway is seeing how well all the student spaces that we envisioned are actually being utilized in the way that we imagined," says GGA architect Stephanie Yeung. There are niches to tuck away in, little spots with lovely views, as well as big, grand volumes of space to gather in. Seating along the upper railings allows for great people watching in between lec- tures. From day one, Mathison Hall has fulfilled the University's mission of togetherness. "The day we opened, we took the barrier down, and by 9 a.m., every one of the 40 break- out rooms was full," says Dewald. Flexibility was crucial in the design: most classrooms include mov- able tables, seats, and monitors. "We wanted to provide the flexibility and technology that could adapt to a pro- fessor at 10:00 and a professor at 11:00 who had different teaching styles," says Yeung. Almost everything is on wheels, allowing professors and study groups alike to reconfigure each space to their preferred setup. The project is targeting LEED Platinum certification, so building performance modelling was carefully considered during the earliest stages, allowing the design and construc- tion to optimize energy efficiency at every decision point. "The University of Calgary had visionary aspirations with their target of net zero," says Yeung. "We wanted to help them move that needle, and to create really spe- cial places for people in the process." By doubling up on the glazing on the south-facing facade, the inter- stitial space between the glass helps to moderate between indoors and outdoors. Over on the east and west elevations, active single facades help naturally ventilate and pre-condi- tion the atrium and event spaces. It's a setup so efficient that the operat- ing costs for both Scurfield Hall and Mathison Hall are actually lower than the original Scurfield Hall. Floor levels lined up from Scurfield Hall to Mathison Hall; the architects took cues from the original building about organiza- tion, materiality, and colouration. Wood elements give Mathison Hall a sense of warmth and comfort. "It's a connection to the landscape," explains architect David Dow of Diamond Schmitt Architects. The natural material is paired with fresh white walls and sleek, double-glazed glass – taken all together, it's a modest but welcoming palette that's a fresh, inviting contrast from the heavier, precast concrete Scurfield Hall. Dark metallic accents carry through from one space to the next; proportions feel familiar and com- fortable as you pop back and forth between each one. And outside, the landscape of this project ties the build- ing back to the campus as a whole. "It's about being cognizant of future goals," says Yeung, who points to the way walking paths connect to adja- cent parcels and curved corners invite pedestrians and bikes to come close. By reconfiguring roads and path- ways, landscape architecture firm O2 was able to incorporate meaning- ful contributions to the University's commitments to sustainability and reconciliation. The O2 team and the University engaged with Indigenous advisors to develop design principles and approaches that drove program- ming, the definition of spaces, and plant material selection. "Changes in campus life through the course of an academic year align with sea- sonal change in the landscape," says O2 principal Matt Williams. The site includes a circular lawn for ceremo- nies and large events, south facing slopes for lounging, and intimate social spaces around the build- ing. Spaces are shaped by terraced retaining and seat walls, land- forms, and diverse native perennials, shrubs, and trees. All stormwater is managed through low impact development strategies includ- ing rain gardens and bioswales. The crown jewel of the building is the Viewpoint Circle for Dialogue, a round, 80-person room that hangs above the lobby, appearing light- as-air. "We wanted the architects to show it off," laughs Dewald. This feature room is designed to specifically support Indigenous meet- ings and gatherings, but the space really has the potential to inspire anyone. "It promotes collaboration and transparency," says Dow. "The university has lofty goals that will pro- mote a new way of learning." It's quite appropriate that a project so rooted in teamwork – the University, DSA, and GGA sing each other's praises – would put such a feature front and centre. "Maybe seeing an extension of this collaboration into the architec- ture just makes sense," says Dow. A LOCATION 215 Haskayne Pl NW, Calgary, Alberta OWNER The University of Calgary PROJECT MANAGER Duke Evans ARCHITECTS Diamond Schmitt Architects / GGA-Architecture GENER AL CONTR ACTOR EllisDon Construction STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT Entuitive MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Smith + Andersen ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT SMP Engineering CIVIL CONSULTANT ISL Engineering and Land Services L ANDSCAPE ARCHITECT O2 TOTAL SIZE 100,000 square feet TOTAL COST $90 million

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