University of Niagara Falls Canada

A phased campus transformation across three floors of an iconic downtown Niagara Falls building for the newly-launched University of Niagara Falls (UNF). We provided design and project management services to deliver a full academic environment executed within strict occupancy and code constraints, while creating collaborative learning environments, technology-enabled spaces, and student-focused amenities.

YEAR
2026
size
30,822 sqft
Location
Niagara Falls
CATEGORY
Institutional
Project details
University of Niagara Falls Canada

Client's Vision

Aiming to establish a strong identity for the region's first university, UNF wanted an interactive and community-friendly campus that felt like a "second home" for the new generation of learners. They wanted a hub connecting students, local community, and industry professionals. The brief called for creating a unique and distinct identity for the campus within the amazing architecture of the existing building's bones (walls, structure), but rather than a full gut renovation, letting the introduced space plan, finishes, materials, signage, and furniture carry the transformation.

Design Strategy

The design layered in new circulation logic, flexible and diverse learning and workings paces, a consistent material and color language following the concept, M&E systems to support the different teaching strategies, and code-driven partition upgrades (fire ratings, acoustic separation) to bring an aging office building up to institutional standard without erasing its character. From social hubs to academic settings, the design fosters well-being, sustainability, innovation and connections between faculty, students and their community.

Key Challenge

Delivering a live campus in four constructional phases (ground floor, second floor, then two stages of the fourth floor) while navigating; delineations between landlord and tenant scopes and contractors; and thresholds that could change scope entirely such as; private vs public spaces, cost and budget, egress and travel distances, and later, fitting two full bio and chem labs into the fourth floor while satisfying the requirements of the OBC, the Ministry of Environment, and the base building.

Our Solution

We utilized our extensive experience in architectural and interior design and project management to plan and phase the project and delineate its parts, while gathering the best team of experts in the different needed fields. The program included: lounges, library, cafeteria, kitchen, classrooms, offices, wellness space, and services, which were then followed by a specialized science wing expansion with a virtual reality lab, and biology and chemistry teaching labs. We solved the phasing and code constraints simultaneously: aligning the different functional zones and fire compartments to hit exact occupancies and egress-separation numbers, then designing UNF’s labs (fume hoods, emergency showers, chemical storage, controlled access) to sit entirely within the building's systems and existing occupancy capacity. Where the cost exceeded budget, targeted value-engineering protected the client's priorities and our design intent.

Defining Moments

    • Enabled UNF to welcome successive student cohorts as each phase was completed.
    • Managed multiple building permits and phased construction without disrupting ongoing building operations.
    • Integrated fully equipped biology and chemistry teaching labs within an existing office floorplate.
    • Achieved program capacity requirements without triggering the need for an additional staircase or major HVAC upgrades.
    • Applied targeted value engineering throughout each phase while preserving the design intent.
    • Maintained a consistent design language across three years of phased design and construction.
    • Created a distinct campus identity that feels welcoming, modern, and connected.
    • Established seamless circulation and continuity between learning, social, and administrative spaces, creating a unified campus experience.

    • Project Partners

    • GUS Canada Group
    • Smith + Andersen
    • Vestacon
    • Holmes + Brakel
    • Paladin Technologies
    • Pinchin
    • LMDG

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    A phased campus transformation across three floors of an iconic downtown Niagara Falls building for the newly-launched University of Niagara Falls (UNF). We provided design and project management services to deliver a full academic environment executed within strict occupancy and code constraints, while creating collaborative learning environments, technology-enabled spaces, and student-focused amenities. University of Niagara Falls CanadaA phased campus transformation across three floors of an iconic downtown Niagara Falls building for the newly-launched University of Niagara Falls (UNF). We provided design and project management services to deliver a full academic environment executed within strict occupancy and code constraints, while creating collaborative learning environments, technology-enabled spaces, and student-focused amenities. A phased campus transformation across three floors of an iconic downtown Niagara Falls building for the newly-launched University of Niagara Falls (UNF). We provided design and project management services to deliver a full academic environment executed within strict occupancy and code constraints, while creating collaborative learning environments, technology-enabled spaces, and student-focused amenities. A phased campus transformation across three floors of an iconic downtown Niagara Falls building for the newly-launched University of Niagara Falls (UNF). We provided design and project management services to deliver a full academic environment executed within strict occupancy and code constraints, while creating collaborative learning environments, technology-enabled spaces, and student-focused amenities. A phased campus transformation across three floors of an iconic downtown Niagara Falls building for the newly-launched University of Niagara Falls (UNF). We provided design and project management services to deliver a full academic environment executed within strict occupancy and code constraints, while creating collaborative learning environments, technology-enabled spaces, and student-focused amenities. A phased campus transformation across three floors of an iconic downtown Niagara Falls building for the newly-launched University of Niagara Falls (UNF). We provided design and project management services to deliver a full academic environment executed within strict occupancy and code constraints, while creating collaborative learning environments, technology-enabled spaces, and student-focused amenities. A phased campus transformation across three floors of an iconic downtown Niagara Falls building for the newly-launched University of Niagara Falls (UNF). We provided design and project management services to deliver a full academic environment executed within strict occupancy and code constraints, while creating collaborative learning environments, technology-enabled spaces, and student-focused amenities. A phased campus transformation across three floors of an iconic downtown Niagara Falls building for the newly-launched University of Niagara Falls (UNF). We provided design and project management services to deliver a full academic environment executed within strict occupancy and code constraints, while creating collaborative learning environments, technology-enabled spaces, and student-focused amenities. A phased campus transformation across three floors of an iconic downtown Niagara Falls building for the newly-launched University of Niagara Falls (UNF). We provided design and project management services to deliver a full academic environment executed within strict occupancy and code constraints, while creating collaborative learning environments, technology-enabled spaces, and student-focused amenities. A phased campus transformation across three floors of an iconic downtown Niagara Falls building for the newly-launched University of Niagara Falls (UNF). We provided design and project management services to deliver a full academic environment executed within strict occupancy and code constraints, while creating collaborative learning environments, technology-enabled spaces, and student-focused amenities. University of Niagara Falls CanadaUniversity of Niagara Falls CanadaA phased campus transformation across three floors of an iconic downtown Niagara Falls building for the newly-launched University of Niagara Falls (UNF). We provided design and project management services to deliver a full academic environment executed within strict occupancy and code constraints, while creating collaborative learning environments, technology-enabled spaces, and student-focused amenities. University of Niagara Falls Canada
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