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University of Toronto OISE Lobby and Entrance

CompanyGow Hastings Architects

Lead DesignersGow Hastings

Design TeamValerie Gow, Jim Burkitt, Allan Baniña, Stephen Wenzel

Project LocationToronto, Ontario, Canada

ClientUniversity of Toronto

CreditsPhoto by: Tom Arban

Prize(s)Silver in Educational Interior Design / University

Project LinkView

Entry Description

The lobby and entrance to the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) provides the first impression of a decades-old institution with a demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity and social justice. However, the entrance to the Brutalist building was challenging to access and the lobby lacked integral space for students to gather. Modernizing the lobby and entrance resulted in enhanced wayfinding, branding and signage that incorporated an Indigenous land acknowledgement and design elements, improved accessibility, and new places for students and faculty to meet.