The MacLeod Building Renewal responds to a pressing need to improve the seismic and climate resilience of UBC’s modernist architecture by transforming a1963 building nearing the end of its service life into one that actively supports and showcases 21st Century learning, innovation and sustainability. MacLeod’s sculptural, locally fabricated pre-cast concrete façades preserve the rhythm and rigour of its international style heritage while introducing a high-performance rainscreen assembly with integrated solar shading. A reconfigured entry and newly visually interconnected interiors foreground accessibility and inclusivity, maximize ventilation, encourage collaboration, and put the innovative pedagogy and research of UBC’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering on display.
The site is located on UBC’s Main Mall – the University’s primary pedestrian thoroughfare. The original building featured an inaccessible and effectively hidden main entrance raised nearly a storey above grade. The renewal relocated the entry—and main floor—to the lowest level, introducing a highly visibleinviting entry point tied to a gently sloped and intuitive access path. New outdoor seating and carefully deployed façade transparency bring the building into conversation with a highly activated public realm. Compared to new construction, the renewal approach allowed the project team to significantly limit site disturbance caused by construction, including retaining high-value existing heritage oak trees.
Sustainability was integral to the project purpose and design approach, holistically achieved ambitious performance targets, reduced the building’s environmental impact, and responds to the impacts of a warming climate. Energy and carbon targets are met through a combination of an innovative DOAS mechanical system, mechanical-assist passive ventilation and the new, high-efficiency building envelope that incorporates solar shading within the precast forms. Substantial carbon savings was achieved from the reuse of 73% of the building’s existing concrete structure. A new light and air shaft cuts through four levels of the structure to introduce visual interconnectivity between floors and act as the primary return air path for the entire building, reducing fan energy loads and costly ductwork.
MacLeod sets a new benchmark for institutional renewal, achieving ambitious green targets (LEED v4 certification, 56.15% reduction in energy intensity and projected annual energy consumption of 117.5 kWh/m2/year) while shaping spaces that encourage innovation, community-building and collaboration. The sculptural façade offers exceptional thermal performance and a dynamic expression that befits its current use and registers its modernist heritage. The reconfigured program distributes Informal Learning Spaces through the building, animating public circulation and establishing focal points for interaction and collaboration. Glazing between perimeter programs and corridors brightens previously dark, inward-facing interiors. Integrated sun shades on south and west exposures mitigate glare and solar heat gain while bouncing light deep into the floorplate.
The envelope and HVAC were optimized using 2050 weather file modelling to ensure resiliency for a warming climate. Structural upgrades, envelope design and interior planning were coordinated to allow a future two-storety addition to respond to anticipated enrolment growth. The significant reuse of the existing structure presented numerous challenges to establish new seismic load paths and foundations—blending new and old methods of detailing and leveraging innovative construction techniques. Resilience-focused seismic upgrades exceed present Building Code requirements prioritizing safe and efficient reoccupation after an earthquake.
"Our collaboration with the Proscenium-Teeple team was instrumental in the successful transformation of the MacLeod Renewal project. Their expertise and dedication resulted in a remarkable renovation, turning an outdated building into a cutting-edge teaching and research facility, greatly enhancing our campus." Noel McNally Sr PM
/23
BC MacLeod looking North from Main Mall: This comprehensive renewal project of UBC’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) building involved replacement and reconfiguration of the building’s envelope, mechanical and electrical systems, i
Avery Guthrie
Comprehensive Renewal of UBC MacLeod: The project’s new sculptural, locally fabricated pre-cast concrete façade preserves the rhythm and rigour of the building’s international style heritage while introducing a high-performance rainscreen assembly with in
Andrew Latreille Photography
Courtyard Entry: The renewal’s exterior palette contrasts faceted concrete cladding with black framed high-performance glazing. Stairwells, entries and Informal Learning Spaces (ILS) feature black thermally broken curtainwall that spans floor-to-floor hei
Andrew Latreille Photography
Animated interiors: New visual interconnection between perimeter programs and corridors transforms MacLeod into a “living lab,” showcasing the learning and research that makes ECE a world-class program. Selectively distributed floor-to-ceiling curtain wal
Andrew Latreille Photography
Informal Learning Spaces (ILS): A core focus of the project was to enhance a sense of community within ECE, encouraging intellectual exchange and occupant wellbeing. Strategically distributed ILS spaces are a key animating feature of the design, establish
Andrew Latreille Photography
Active Learning Classroom: A full reprogramming actively supports the Faculty of Applied Science’s future research, collaboration, and learner-centred pedagogical priorities. Freshly renovated, daylit and well-ventilated classrooms and labs are configured
Andrew Latreille Photography
Occupant wellbeing informed aspect of the reprogramming and material selection. Exit stairs were maintained as bright, welcoming spaces to encourage comfortable chance encounters among occupants. Bright feature wall and floor colours were used throughout
Andrew Latreille Photography
Teaching Labs: Large classrooms and traditional labs are designed to accommodate key pieces of equipment for electrical and computer engineering. A flexible infrastructure of perimeter and overhead power and data busbars maintains both layout and future t
Andrew Latreille Photography
Visible Sustainability: A newly created light and air shaft (painted a vibrant yellow) acts as the primary return air path for the building. The shaft allows natural stack effect to assist air flow to rooftop heat recovery units, reducing fan energy loads
Andrew Latreille Photography
Ample daylighting: Informal Learning Spaces (ILS) that are continuous from the hallways allow for new visibility and a sense of place while bouncing light deep into the floorplate. At least 75% of all regularly occupied floor area achieves a direct line o
Andrew Latreille Photography
Minimizing Site Disturbance: The project significantly reduced the typical ecological impacts of construction, minimizing site disturbance from excavation. Landscaping and construction staging prioritized the retention of existing trees, avoiding damage t
Andrew Latreille Photography
Prioritizing Resilience: The renewal provides long-term operating resilience, incorporating extensive seismic upgrades to the concrete structure to exceed Building Code requirements. Structural upgrades, envelope design and interior planning were coordina
Andrew Latreille Photography
Site Plan: Indicating the project’s at-grade entry points on the campus of the University of British Columbia. The MacLeod building faces the pedestrian thoroughfare “Main Mall” and is nestled between new and old campus buildings.
Teeple Architects
Level One Plan: The reprogramming focused visually interesting student activity on the ground floor—including workshops, maker spaces and an AI hub—to draw people into the building and generate interest in its activities, supporting the university’s “livi
Teeple Architects
Level Two Plan: This level features the largest classroom and electronic labs but prioritizes meeting rooms that are set aside for students to meet with industry partners as part of their capstone program, where students create lasting connections within
Teeple Architects
Level Three Plan: Informal Learning Spaces (ILS) with floor-to-ceiling glazing are strategically placed throughout the building to allow for connection and collaboration between students, intuitive wayfinding and increased daylighting.
Teeple Architects
Level Four Plan: The renewal took advantage of the original building’s generous existing stairs to establish bright, welcoming combined feature-and-exit stairwells, end-clad in curtain wall, drenched in daylight and highly used as a result.
Teeple Architects
Level Five Plan: The roof connects the corridor air plenum to mechanical assist air fans and is designed with high albedo roof membrane to reflect solar gain. A sacrificial layer of top sheet as part of the assembly accommodates its use as an experimental
Teeple Architects
Air Shaft Section: A challenge for a spatially tight renewal, the project cut a passive assist air shaft through four storeys of existing structure. Paired with operable windows, the shaft makes use of natural stack effect to assist fresh air flow to roof
Teeple Architects
Natural Lighting Section: The integration of pre-cast sun shades and prioritization of glazing (both to the outside and between classrooms and hallways) bounces light deep into the floorplate to brighten a previously dark, inward facing program.
Teeple Architects
North and East Elevations: Informal Learning Spaces (ILS) can be located from the exterior by their floor-to-ceiling glazing. Faceted concrete cladding is juxtaposed with black framed high-performance windows for a refreshed, contemporary aesthetic.
Teeple Architects
South and West Elevation: Sunshades were deployed on south- and southwest-facing facades where they provide effective shading. Ribbon windows along the perimeter base allow the concrete building to hover, lightening its visual impact.
Teeple Architects
Before and After: The existing building featured an inaccessible, hidden main entrance raised nearly a storey above grade. A relocated, highly visible entry tied to a gently sloped access path, with outdoor seating and generous transparency creates a new
Vancouver
Canada
University of British Columbia (UBC)
Post Secondary Education: Laboratory, Classroom, Office and Workshop Space
06/2022
72812 mq
27,100,000.00 $
Teeple Architects (Design Architect); Proscenium Architecture + Interiors (Architect of Record)
Teeple: Stephen Teeple, Avery Guthrie, Myles Craig, Rob Cheung, Peter Fortune, Aidan Ferriss, Brent Haynes, Miriam Wiggins, Kendra Kusick, Richard Lam; Proscenium: Kori Chan, Ben Nielsen, James Bligh, Teague Shinkewski, Pamela Troyer, Alissa Foss, Matthew Kurnicki
Heatherbrae Builders
Weiler Smith Bowers Consulting Engineers – Structural Engineer; RJC Engineers – Building Envelope; Recollective – Sustainability; AME Group – Mechanical Engineer; Applied Engineering Solutions (AES) – Electrical Engineer; PFS Studio – Landscape; RJC Engineers – Building Envelope; Recollective – Sustainability; RWDI – Acoustics; LMDG – Building Code
Con-Force Structures Ltd. –Precast Concrete Supplier; Birdsafe High Performance Glazing Units – Garibaldi Glass; Fibreglass Window Frames – Cascadia; TWA Radiant Heating & Cooling Panels – RAIDA sales Inc.; Curtain Wall Glazing – Kawneer; Student Lockers – Spacesaver
Andrew Latreille Photography
Curriculum
Design Architect Teeple Architects, founded in 1989 in Toronto by firm Principal Stephen Teeple, has built an international reputation for innovative design, technical excellence and exceptional service through a mix of acclaimed institutional and private sector projects. Architect of Record Proscenium Architecture + Interiors was founded in 1996 in Vancouver as a firm focused on the planning and design of facilities for the Arts, expanding to include a wide variety of cultural, institutional, commercial and residential projects. Since 2012, Teeple and Proscenium have collaborated to deliver a series of dynamic and thoughtful projects for post-secondary institutions in Western Canada – exemplified by the nationally and internationally recognized Langara College Science & Technology Building. Teeple and Proscenium’s relationship is built on the deeply held shared values of sustainability and community-building through expressive, user-focused, and place-based design. www.proscenium.ca
