MVRDV, Diamond Schmitt, and Two Row Architects Design Temerty Building at University of Toronto

The University of Toronto is set to expand its Medical Sciences Building with a new 390,000-square-foot addition, the Temerty Building, designed by MVRDV, Diamond Schmitt Architects, and Two Row Architect. This facility will provide research and educational environments for the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and the Department of Cell & Systems Biology within the Faculty of Arts & Science. Replacing a wing from 1969, the building connects through existing corridors and features a three-story atrium as its entrance. Donald Schmitt of Diamond Schmitt highlighted the design's emphasis on warmth and functionality. The facade combines glass and sandstone, reflecting the gothic and neoclassical styles of the campus. The ground floor includes a large communal hall inspired by Haudenosaunee longhouses, with significant glazing and robust wood columns. Above, seven laboratory floors will accommodate both wet and dry labs, alongside open social areas. A basement district energy nodal plant will support renewable energy, and Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers will also be part of the space. Erik Skouris from Two Row Architect stressed the importance of Indigenous teachings in the design process, while MVRDV's Nathalie de Vries remarked on the building's contribution to transparency and openness in King’s College Circle.