Life Sciences Complex

The 120,000 square foot Life Sciences Complex at McGill University forms a nexus between the Faculty of Medicine's McIntyre Building and the Science Faculty's Stewart Building. The building is organized into three distinct components: wet and dry bench laboratories and local support spaces; stacked core equipment spaces; and an animal resource centre.

There are many topographical, historical and urban design challenges to the site as the primary address on Pine Avenue drops steeply 20 meters to a mid-block thoroughfare. To the south and west, the 1960's McIntyre and Stewart buildings dominate the 19th century mansions and outbuildings to the east; these are set in a landscape designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead and are a historically significant ensemble.

Further complications include an underground parking garage below the majority of the site, which follows the topography in order to preserve views from the mountaintop. The site constraints present a challenge to achieve constructability, ease of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, the appropriate juxtaposition of program components, good natural light, and good views from the building.