University Commons, University of Alberta

A disused building finds new life as a dynamic heart of campus, where past and future meet under one roof.

At the University of Alberta, a once-forgotten 1922 structure now pulses with new energy. Through careful renovation and a bold expansion, we helped transform it into University Commons: a vibrant, vertical campus hub where students, researchers, faculty, and staff can gather, work, and grow together.

The building had a complicated history. Over the decades, it had seen piecemeal additions and, eventually, abandonment. When we arrived, our first task was to listen—both to the architecture and to the people who remembered it. What mattered most? What could be let go? We chose to peel back the later additions and return to the building’s original bones, honouring its early 20th-century character while making space for something new.

What emerged is a graceful balance between preservation and transformation. The original brick facade was restored with care. Inside, we blended historic details with flexible, tech-ready spaces that serve the campus today and tomorrow. We approached it as a “value-based restoration”—not clinging to nostalgia, but asking: how can this place remain meaningful?

To the north, a new seven-storey addition rises in contrast and complement. Its glass walls reflect the surrounding campus and invite in natural light, while inside, open-plan “neighbourhoods” encourage movement and conversation. These double-height zones are connected by staircases that make it easy to skip the elevator and cross paths with colleagues or classmates on the way.

At the core, old and new converge in a light-filled atrium. Framed by balconies and surrounded by gathering spaces, it acts as both a social heart and a circulation spine—bringing daylight deep into the building and offering spaces that feel open, fluid, and welcoming. Multiple new, barrier-free entrances draw people in from every direction. An east-facing scalloped porch meets the rhythm of daily transit, while a timber-framed walkway to the north turns a former back lane into a place of arrival.

Throughout the project, we worked with the university to ensure that sustainability wasn’t just a goal but a practice. Reuse over demolition. Adaptability over rigidity. Beauty and utility go hand in hand.

Now alive with the motion of campus life, University Commons stands as a bridge between eras, disciplines, and people. It’s a place shaped by memory but designed for momentum. And most of all, it’s a reminder that thoughtful design can renew more than just a building—it can restore a sense of belonging.