Student Wellbeing Centre

Toronto Metropolitan University is moving forward with a new construction project to bring variety of wellbeing initiatives to a purpose-built, central hub at the heart of campus. The new facility will consolidate numerous services currently housed in buildings across campus under one roof to improve access and service delivery for our growing and diverse community of students, faculty and staff.

The university has identified O’Keefe House as the best candidate site for adaptive reuse that will preserve the heritage building and reimagine it as a cutting-edge facility. Its valued historical components will be integrated with a modern, eight-storey mass timber addition on the south side of the property, adjacent to the Heidelberg Centre.

The Student Wellbeing Centre has been designed in consultation with the City of Toronto’s Heritage Planning services as well as an independent heritage consultant. The proposed plans aim to respect the existing character of the site and surrounding built environment while providing adequate space for the wellbeing programs offered. 

The design optimizes access to natural light and will feature mass timber construction to provide a warm, organic feel, with natural materials and opportunities for Indigenous placemaking. The use of mass timber construction, multiple passive green roofs and adaptation of an existing building also help to reduce the building’s overall carbon footprint to help forward TMU’s commitment to sustainable building practices and support ecological health.

The central location and thoughtful, accessible design underscore the important role the centre will have as a quality environment that focuses on health, openness and inclusiveness as cornerstones of wellbeing.

Questions?

For comments or questions about this project, please contact Mark Dettweiler, executive director, campus development, at mdettweiler@torontomu.ca.