Construction is underway on a 35,000 square-metre state-of-the-art facility at MacEwan University in downtown Edmonton.
At an event on February 27, 2023, Demetrios Nicolaides, minister of Advanced Education, announced the Alberta Government would be investing $125 million in capital funding over four years to support the construction of a new building for the MacEwan School of Business.
“This investment would empower growth at our universities, make higher learning more accessible, create jobs and support local businesses,” Nicolaides says. “We are excited to see MacEwan’s future School of Business and how it will contribute to Edmonton’s downtown community and strengthen Alberta’s economy.”
“The significant investment will allow the university to continue providing transformative experiences that build community, business and economic opportunities fuelled by an exceptional faculty committed to teaching greatness,” added Dr. Annette Trimbee, MacEwan University president and vice-chancellor. MacEwan University and its campus are unique, not only because of our bold vision and commitment to delivering unparalleled undergraduate teaching experiences, but because of our position in Edmonton’s downtown core,” says Dr. Trimbee.
The facility will be seven storeys and have a mechanical penthouse on the top floor. It will feature a brick exterior, curtain wall and a pedway to Building 8 made from steel fabrication.
Construction manager Ledcor will also be collaborating with MacEwan University students on several Work Integrated Learning opportunities, including project management capstone projects.
Once completed, the building will have 30 learning spaces, including classrooms and labs, 20 collaborative spaces, 15 study areas and updated computer labs. There will be a trading simulation lab on the main floor where finance students can get a first-hand look at how trading occurs and participate in the process without exchanging real money. There will be a new supply chain program, and the Office of Research Services, MacEwan International, and the university’s career services will also be moving into the new facility.
Robert Sabulka, MacEwan University associate vice-president of infrastructure planning and management, says there will be several faculty offices and an office for the dean on the second floor.
“The idea behind the faculty offices is we didn’t want to sequester faculty on their own,” Sabulka says. “It was important to MacEwan to have students and faculty be available to each other.”
The School of Business project was identified as a priority in the university’s campus development plan. Currently, the program stretches over Buildings 5, 6 and 7. The new facility will allow the School of Business to be consolidated into one location.
“We had a number of demands for additional space to accommodate learning, collaboration and research space,” Sabulka says. “Our strategic vision includes expansion and growth, so our target is to have 30,000 students on campus by 2030. This is just one part of that.”
Aside from the new building, which is slated to open for the 2027 winter term, MacEwan University will also be changing some of its program offerings to increase the number of students they have on campus. When the new facility opens, there will be room for an additional 7,500 students.
The building is being constructed on a vacant downtown lot on the north side of campus at 109th Street and 105th Avenue. Before the university purchased the property, one piece of the site was owned by the City of Edmonton while the other two were privately owned, including a two storey commercial building.
“It’s a good location because it’s kind of in the middle of campus,” Sabulka says. “MacEwan had started gathering the land in anticipation of the project. We were in design development when the project was approved, then we completed construction documents and were essentially shovel-ready for when the government approved the project.”
The total project cost is $215 million and is primarily being funded through a $125 grant from the Province of Alberta, announced as part of the 2023 Capital Budget. The remainder is coming from the university’s capital campaign, titled MacEwan Means Business.
“Aside from the benefits to students and staff, there are perks for the community too,” Sabulka says. “There will be a café that’s open to the public but, beyond that, there will be research done to help support the surrounding community. Having those extra students around will also benefit the small businesses near campus.”
GEC Architecture – a team of architects, interior designers, planners, graphic designers and technologists – is leading the design of the project. The firm practices across Canada and has studios in Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto.
Peter Osborne, a partner at GEC Architecture with over 19 years of experience in the industry, says MacEwan’s new School of Business is one of the firm’s first major capital projects with the university.
“As a practice, we specialize in post-secondary projects and have designed a lot of other innovative, student-centric learning spaces for major institutions across Canada,” Osborne says. “This area is unique and requires a slightly different take on how you design an academic building in the downtown and what it means to be part of that community.”
The primary intent behind opening the campus to the north was to strengthen community connections and foster engagement with business partners. It was also important to the university to incorporate opportunities for future expansion.
“One of the major drivers was making sure the building had an entrance that provided access to the north,” Osborne says. “Inside the building, there will be large spaces for community gatherings and conferences, including a large flexible lecture space. The café and food services will hopefully bring the community in so they can also enjoy the amenities.”
Once completed, the building will be LEED Gold certified. The facility will incorporate a high-efficiency mechanical and electrical system, solar photovoltaic panels to convert thermal energy into electricity and a high-performing exterior that includes vertical solar shading fins for temperature regulation.
“It’s an exciting project for downtown Edmonton,” Osborne says. “I think it will be impactful within the community and support MacEwan’s continued growth with their School of Business and other broader initiatives.”
