Aboriginal Student Centre

This unique two-storey multi-purpose centre provides offices, meeting rooms, student lounge, a computer study area and circular healing centre for Aboriginal students attending the University of Manitoba. Over 90% of occupied spaces have a direct line of sight to the outdoors, and 75% of regularly occupied areas receive daylight.

As a smart building, it utilizes high solar gain windows on north and east faces for maximum heat absorption and moderate solar gain windows on south and west faces to achieve moderate solar absorption. The facility uses an energy recovery ventilation system, individual thermostats and watt stoppers.

The building also incorporates indigenous materials throughout including limestone, Tyndall stone and timber beams. A major challenge was to create the least amount of impact to the building site in order to protect existing trees. During construction, 65% of building materials were recycled or salvaged. Stuart Olson Dominion achieved LEED® Gold certification for this $4.8 million facility.