Instructional Centre wins top urban design award

The Instructional Centre at U of T Mississauga has won an Award of Excellence at the 30th annual Mississauga Urban Design Awards competition. The award was presented Nov. 22 at a ceremony at Mississauga City Hall.

"Although the building is large and stands out, the well-executed design maintains a human scale that is friendly and generous," note jury members about the Instructional Centre. "The architect has chosen attractive building materials, which are further enhanced by their details, patterns and juxtaposition. The copper, wood and granite provide a harmonious palette that relates to the natural setting in a sophisticated and refined manner. This university building, along with the other newly built structures, demonstrates how an institute of higher learning can create high quality architecture that will be an inspiration and a symbol for future generations of students."

The $70-million three-storey Instructional Building includes a full range of state-of-the-art classrooms varying in size from 30 seats to a 500-seat auditorium, dedicated study space including collaborative and private rooms, and a computer lab. The 13,000-square-meter facility continues U of T Mississauga's commitment to environmentally responsible growth with sustainable components such as a large array of photovoltaic panels, a green roof, and a geothermal heating and cooling system located beneath the campus football field.

The building was designed by Shore Tilbe Perkins + Will and built by Eastern Construction. It opened in August 2011.

The Mississauga Urban Design Awards program is the longest running municipal urban design competition in Ontario. Mississauga Celebration Square was also honoured with a 2011 Award of Excellence while three other city projects won Awards of Merit.