University of Toronto Scarborough
Campus Passive House Student Residence

At Kearns Mancini Architects Inc. (KMAI), we understand the significance of Passive House design methodology. True sustainability comes from measures and practices we make to limit our impact on the earth, allowing us to live as we do today without continued long-term effects on the planet; practices that support us and help us to live better and do not set out to diminish our livelihoods, our health or our ability to develop as people, cultures, nations. We collectively, have been working on Passive House since 2009.

Our work is our testament. The proposed design concept for a student residence at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus (UTSC) employs Passive House. UTSC is positioning itself as a leader among educational facilities across North America. Collaborating with innovative architectural practices, the UTSC’s primary goal has been to enhance the student experience by providing state-of-the-art, sustainable and timeless facilities. And in doing so, it has recognized the Passive House Standard as the future of sustainable architectural design.

Their commitment to build their new 750-bed Student Residence according to the International Passive House Standard, UTSC has committed to providing their students with optimal living conditions.

The concept design for this student residence building has been sensitive to the existing campus context while at the same time contributing a distinctive presence. It provides a welcoming and secure home for the students, creating a strong sense of community.

grey container

Location

Scarborough, ON

Gross Project Area

280,000 sq. ft.

Client

University of Toronto Scarborough Campus

Status

Planning, Design and Compliance Completed 2018

Project Team

Jonathan Kearns, Deborah Byrne, Alice Gibson, Kelly Fisher

University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Passive House Student Residence - UofT_Scarborough_Campus_Passive_House_Student_Residence_2a

Building Elevations

Planned to be built on a site of what is now a surface parking lot, this proposed eight and ten-storey facility is adjacent to the intersection of Ellesmere Road and Military Trail. Employing an integrated design approach, this contemporary dormitory includes single and double occupancy bedrooms, a campus dining hall, mixed-use spaces for workshop style learning, retail spaces, wellness studio, lounges, student housing and residence life offices, hoteling offices and visiting scholar suites.

The main entrance will be a semi-public space to be used by students, other members of the university and by local community guests. The design further allows for the abundance of natural light throughout the interior spaces and creates an internal pedestrian street that runs through the building, showcasing its amenities and fostering collaborations.

University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Passive House Student Residence - UofT_Scarborough_Campus_Passive_House_Student_Residence_3a

Media Coverage

CBC

How Canadians are constructing North America's biggest green buildings

Across Canada, green buildings are scaling up, including a university residence for 750 students and two high rise towers.

Canadian Architect

Passive House Design: A Frontline Perspective

Former students barely recognized the place, which is now sleek and open concept, with camera-ready kitchens and air-conditioned pastry labs.

Kearns Mancini has ensured that the building design has been sensitive to, and addresses, the existing campus context while at the same time contributing a distinctive presence. We consider Kearns Mancini Architects to be the leading Passive House architectural firm in Ontario.

Andrew Arifuzzaman

University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, Chief Administrative Officer

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This project was a journey, as most renovations tend to be. Yet despite the slow progress of the project we managed to create a systematic combination of ‘archaeological’ discovery, preservation, encapsulation and architectural re-interpretation. The original building was reduced to its barest hand hewn wooden structure, meticulously cleaned and sealed inside an airtight skin.

University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Passive House Student Residence - George_Brown_Arts_Design_thumbnail-2

George Brown College Centre for Arts and Design

In 2011, George Brown College retained Kearns Mancini to transform the 3rd, 5th and 6th floors of the former Toronto Sun Building into the Centre of Arts & Design and the School of English as a Second Language for International Immigration.

The Upper House

In 2012, Kearns Mancini began working on a design for a seven-storey mid-rise residential building located in the growing community of Leaside. The project completed in 2018 includes 66 units, ranging from one-bedroom units to three-bedroom-plus units. There are also 12 townhouse units, which front a quieter residential street and respond to the context of the neighbouring single-family dwellings.

Canadian Canoe Museum

The elegant design for the Canadian Canoe Museum is the result of a Joint Venture between Heneghan Peng, Dublin and Kearns Mancini Architects, Toronto. Now in production, this design was selected in a two stage process from an international line up of architects.

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University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Passive House Student Residence