The stunning Academic Wood Tower has started to take shape in the Bloor Street cultural corridor, where it will serve as a beacon for green architecture – and provide high-quality spaces for three of the university’s faculties and schools.
Once complete, the tower is expected to be the tallest academic timber structure in Canada and one of the tallest mass timber and steel hybrid buildings in North America. U of T, which was recently named the world’s most sustainable university by QS World Rankings, is committed to furthering its role as a global model with projects like these.
“U of T’s Academic Wood Tower proves that we can reduce emissions, responsibly construct new buildings and contribute to the vibrant architectural fabric of a dense city like Toronto,” said Sandra Hanington, vice-chair of the university’s Governing Council.
Mass timber offers a wealth of structural advantages, including a high degree of fire safety and a low carbon footprint. Wood naturally absorbs carbon, taking it out of the atmosphere and reducing greenhouse gases. It is also one of the only major building materials that is a renewable resource.
Photo: A rendering of the new Academic Wood Tower. Courtesy of Patkau Architects + MJMA.
