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“engage the world” in addressing the most timely issues.
Responding to the brief, Revery’s aim was to create a building that integrates with its urban context, engages SFU and the local Surrey community, and becomes a place that elevates user experience.
Flexible in function
The programme is organised around a central atrium space, oriented east-to-west on axis with the adjacent Surrey Central SkyTrain line – providing light, rapid transit, and opening onto University Drive. Wider in the east than towards the west, the full height ‘flatiron’-style tapered atrium divides the building in two; to one side an L-shaped block and to the other a more regular rectangle-shaped block.
The atrium facilitates circulation between the ground and third floor, while the integrated spectator seating and a large, open, ground floor base provide functional space for both formal and informal gathering and activities. “It’s become the living room of the building,” says Kokalov, “it’s where the cross-fertilisation of ideas can take place; it welcomes the public.” Because the building is in the heart of
Surrey’s downtown, the architects deemed it vital to somehow continue the public realm into the building, both to “activate” it and to illustrate the partnership between SFU and the city itself. In this vein, the most socially active parts of the programme are all found on the ground floor; the cafe, a pre-function area and a 400-capacity
ADF FEBRUARY 2021
lecture hall – available to both SFU and the local community, student central services, common and recreational rooms, and the atrium base.
The upper floors are devoted to teaching functions with another 120-seat lecture hall and ‘innovation space’ housed on the first floor; library, lounges and process laboratories on the second floor; research, prep and classrooms on the third floor; further educational spaces on the fourth; and staff offices on the fifth.
When quizzed on changes to the design that might have interrupted the architectural process, Kokalov answers, “The schedule wouldn’t allow it. SFU was clear from the outset.” With the client stressing the “importance of flexible spaces,” research labs had to accommodate a spread of topics and classrooms needed to support diverse teaching styles. This is perhaps best illustrated by the rooftop, which was designed to accommodate a research lab, should it be needed. Inside, the building has a mix of exposed concrete and white painted drywall. Timber is also used liberally throughout. This includes wooden slat ceilings, maple accents to the atrium balconies, timber floors to the tree pods, and timber for the spectator benches in the atrium. Maple plywood and dark-stained plywood furnish the lecture hall there, along with dark fabric-wrapped panels. Additionally, perforated dark- stained plywood and paper-faced insulation are used to provide acoustic treatment. SE3P’s location directly across the street
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INNOVATION IN SUSTAINABILITY
The new Sustainability Energy Engineering school housed within the building will develop solutions for harvesting, storage, transmission and use of energy, carefully considering socio-economic impacts
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