University of Toronto (U of T) alumni, faculty, students and staff were recently on hand to celebrate the ground-breaking of the new Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CEIE).

The centre will be located on the last empty site on U of T’s main street, next to Simcoe Hall. The ground floor will feature a double-height entrance hall and exhibition space that opens onto an outdoor court to create a sense of connection with its surroundings. The building will feature a two-storey colonnade facing St. George Street and will be surrounded by walking paths.

The CEIE, conceived by Montgomery Sisam Architects in association with Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, will feature a 480-seat interactive lecture hall, state-of-the-art collaborative classrooms and fabrication facilities. Interesting, non-programmed spaces will be incorporated throughout the building to help encourage group work and discussion.

The building was designed as a 100-year building with an energy target of 100 kilowatts per square metre per year. It is expected to open in 2017.