Could you ever guess that the Earth Sciences Building is more than just concrete and classrooms? It’s a living testament to sustainable design and innovative engineering.
Hello everyone. Welcome to the Earth Sciences Building at the University of British Columbia. This building is not just another academic structure. It’s a hub of scientific discovery. It embodies UBC’s commitment to sustainability.
Completed in 2012, the Earth Sciences Building is a five-story L-shaped structure. It houses the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences. The Department of Statistics also calls it home. You will also find the Pacific Institute of the Mathematical Sciences here. The Dean’s Office of the Faculty of Science is located here as well. The Pacific Museum of the Earth also has exhibits here.
The Earth Sciences Building was designed to foster collaboration. It enhances connections between different departments. Shared learning opportunities abound here. The Earth Sciences Building expands the Faculty of Science’s public presence. It creates a vibrant center on campus.
One of the Earth Sciences Building’s most striking features is its innovative use of wood. The north wing uses wood as its primary structural material. This creates a welcoming environment. It also stores over a thousand tonnes of carbon. That’s the equivalent of taking 415 cars off the road for a year. The Earth Sciences Building is one of North America’s largest panelized wood structures.
Look up and you’ll see the solid wood cross-laminated timber canopy. It wraps around three sides of the Earth Sciences Building. This provides rain cover for pedestrians. It also blurs the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces. The canopy extends inside. It forms the interior ceiling finish of the museum and café. This gives occupants a connection to nature.
Don’t miss the free-floating cantilevered solid timber staircase in the atrium. It descends into an open-concept space. The stairway seems to defy gravity. It showcases the capabilities of modern engineered timber. It is fully cantilevered off the bridge floors. The staircase is composed of a seamless folding ribbon of rigid glulam stringers.
The Earth Sciences Building has many sustainable features. High-efficiency design combines with solar shading. The east facade has translucent laminated glass fins. The south and west facades have external horizontal shades. These features offer significant energy savings. They also reduce the demand for artificial lighting. Operable windows and natural light-filled spaces further enhance sustainability.
Massive polished slabs of rock samples decorate the exterior walls. The lecture theatres incorporate stone into curtain-wall glazing frames. These details highlight the building’s connection to earth sciences.
The Earth Sciences Building cost $55 million. It covers almost 15,000 square meters. Perkins and Will Architects Canada Co. designed it. Equilibrium Consulting Inc. served as the structural engineers. Bird Construction Co. managed the construction.
So, the Earth Sciences Building stands as a testament to sustainable design. It embodies UBC’s commitment to innovation. It creates a vibrant hub for scientific discovery. It demonstrates how modern engineered timber can be used efficiently. It showcases beauty and function in harmony.