UBC’s newest building, Gateway Health, is opening as a hub for student health, interdisciplinary teaching and collaborative research.

The 270,550-square-foot building gives a purpose-built home to the school of nursing, consolidates kinesiology programs from eight campus locations, and centralizes student health and wellbeing services for the first time.

Students now have access to modern teaching facilities, labs and study spaces designed to encourage collaboration. Later this year, Gateway Health will also host a new interprofessional teaching clinic, established through UBC Health, that will act as a unique space for developing and testing innovations in education and care.

The six-storey mass timber building houses a mix of spaces such as lecture theatres and classrooms, wet and dry labs, clinical spaces, gym and fitness facilities and office and administration areas.

Architectural elements include warm wood finishes, exposed timber, terracotta cladding and filtered daylight in the atrium. Artworks by six Musqueam artists have been installed indoors and outdoors.

Gateway Health was designed to achieve net-zero carbon certification and meet LEED, WELL and Rick Hansen accessibility standards. Its hybrid mass-timber structure makes sustainability visible. The project was delivered with UBC Properties Trust, Perkins&Will, Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects and Heatherbrae Builders.

“The Gateway Health building reflects UBC’s commitment to student health and wellbeing—bringing the best in learning, care and collaboration together under one roof, and creating new opportunities for interdisciplinary teaching and research in health,” said Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, UBC president and vice-chancellor.