UBC Faculty

University of British Columbia - The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Centre for Drug Research and Development is located at the corner of Wesbrook Mall and Agronomy Road, in the heart of UBC’s campus. The site consists of a 20240 sqm parcel of land an important university entry point. With this in mind the building has been designed as a gateway to the southeast edge of the campus, engaging the community with a ground floor that is transparent and inviting - one that will showcase the public functions of the building. Nearby develop- ments include University Endowment Lands/UBC residential communities on the East of Wesbrook, the Life Sciences Building to the North of Agronomy Road, and “Agronomy knoll” open space to the west.  The latter is an open space that terminates the mid-block greenway connecting the southern part of campus, through university’s athletic facilities, to the Health Science Precinct.
The design reflects UBC’s world-class pharmaceutical science researchers, faculty, and the University’s status as an internationally recognized institution in scientific endeavors. Since architecture can, perhaps more than ever, give an international presence to particular schools and departments within universities, the design itself is intended to play a significant role in attracting and retaining the best in the scientific community from around the world.
The initial concept stems from the idea of trees whose branch system forms a canopy floating above the ground. As this organic network is abstracted, it is subsequently given tectonic manifestation, and the archi- tecture takes on a more geometric form. The striking design provides enjoyable, livable spaces for research and learning, creating public and private spaces for the exchange of ideas. The conceptual tree trunks beco- me atria filled with natural light permeates the adjacent spaces (laboratories, offices, etc.).
Incorporated on ground level is an exhibition space that can be navigated fluidly as a space of encounter for faculty, researchers, students, and the public. Upstairs is another exhibition zone that is dedicated to the history of medicine and the profession. The project takes into consideration the future needs of the phar- maceutical program. A vibrant node for science on the campus, the state-of-the-art building is intended to promote creativity and new methods for individual and collaborative research, representing the academic and scientific excellence for which UBC has become renowned.

CONCEPT DESIGN NARRATIVE

Historically plants and vegetation have always served a strong role in the development of drugs and medicine. In many of the original pharmacopoeia books plants play a prominent role as principal ingredients in the creation of several drugs.
The idea of a root system growing over time into a tree with an extensive network of branches serves as an allegory for the development of modern medicine, which has evolved over centuries, purposefully and steadily. The symbol of the tree lends itself not only to the form of the building but also to the manner in which the building is developed programmatically and functions as a whole. As trees root themselves into the ground and begin to grow towards the sky providing shelter so too does the UBC Faculty of Pharmacy building.
The image of two trees and their foliage becoming fused and intertwined provides the general conceptual un- derpinning of the overall building. The tree “trunks” serve as the structural basis of the building with different portions of program being suspended from them as a broad canopy. As the “roots” emerge from the ground plane, they house program such as the building’s two main auditoriums and they develop into the “trunks” which function as atria to allow natural light into the building. The conceptual pixilation of the tree canopy becomes a model for the façade development, displaying how the organic form of foliage can be transformed into a more Cartesian geometry.
The idea was to give a signature presence on the campus to the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Centre for Drug Research and Development. The architects sought out a cutting edge/progressive design solution that would embody the values of the institution as well as its functional and technical requirements.
The initial concept stems from the idea of trees whose branch system forms a canopy floating above the ground. As this organic network is abstracted, it is subsequently given tectonic manifestation, and the archi- tecture takes on a more geometric form. The striking design provides enjoyable, livable spaces for research and learning, creating public and private spaces for the exchange of ideas. The conceptual tree trunks become atria filled with natural light permeates the adjacent spaces (laboratories, offices, etc.). The building has been planned around a clear organization of offices and conferences spaces around its perimeter with the laboratory spaces at the center. Most of the offices are located along the north façade, offering ideal lighting throughout the day – indirect light that reduces all glare onto the computer screens. The interior office lighting was stu- died in detail to obtain the best work lighting. Each individual office therefore benefits from ample ambient light and desk lighting. The integrated, accelerated design process involved design and construction processes that overlapped along with an aggressive schedule. This was a challenge, but the results bespeak the fluid relationship between all designers, engineers and the client.

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