U of T building tallest ‘mass timber’ academic tower in Canada

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The University of Toronto has started building a new “mass timber” tower, 14 storeys and 77 metres high. It will be the tallest academic timber structure in Canada and one of the tallest mass timber and steel hybrid buildings in North America.

The building design has won a Canadian Architect Award of Excellence for Canadian firms Patkau Architects and MJMA Architecture & Design. Mass timber projects, while increasing in popularity, are not yet commonplace.

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The first deliveries of mass-timber components have been made. Construction is proceeding under the management of another Canadian company, Pomerleau. Completion is expected in 2026.

“This inspiring piece of architecture will provide our students, faculty and staff with state-of-the-art spaces for research, learning and community engagement,” Meric Gertler, University of Toronto president told GTA Construction Report. “It will stand as a testament to U of T’s global leadership in sustainability, as well as our commitment to city-building”

Mass timber construction absorbs carbon and reduces greenhouse gases. It is also one of the few building materials that can be used for major projects that is a renewable resource.

A certain amount of the tower’s components can be manufactured even before they are delivered to the site. Then they are assembled easily, thereby minimizing construction disruption in that part of Toronto.

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The tower is novel not just because it is a timber hybrid structure, but also because it is being constructed atop the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sports, a busy facility on the school’s main St. George campus” here.

The timber is required “to do a lot of things mass timber really doesn’t like to do,” Ryan Mitchell of MJMA Architecture and Design told Construct Connect. One of the issues that was resolved was cantilevering the tower over the Goldring Centre. Timber can’t hang unsupported.

The building will house the Rotman School of Management, the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy as well as the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education.

The tower will be directly connected to the Munk School Observatory building and the Goldring Centre, one of the kinesiology and physical education school’s main facilities. The new floors will allow the faculty to continue to expand its work, including facilitation of the university’s large slate of co-curricular physical activity and sports programs.

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