Open Buildings UBC

Vancouver is becoming the centre of attraction for talent and design. Vancouver Design Week highlighted the emerging creativity with various events for around two weeks. This gave people an opportunity to engage in the transformative power of design. Having the opportunity to attend Vancouver Design Week’s Open Buildings at UBC, I toured the UBC Pharmaceutical Building, UBC Tennis Centre, and Beaty Biodiversity Museum. Joined by the architects behind the buildings and a group of people who work in the field, I was probably the only UBC student with just a keen interest and excitement, and absolutely no architectural knowledge. As a student, I always mindlessly walk past these buildings, putting little thought into the designs and how it enhance public space on campus. So after attending Open Building, it has made me more aware that each building designed on campus has gone through much design articulation and carefully thought out its placement in relation to the neighbouring space. Below are some description and thoughts about the three buildings.
UBC Pharmaceutical Building

This iconic building took around two and half years to build is now home to a community of students, faculty members and researchers. Situated on a large open space, the Pharmaceutical building with a slanted exterior definitely stands out and catches my eye every time I walk by. The idea behind the Pharmaceutical Building design emerged from a tree metaphor. This tree metaphor illustrates the intertwining of the tree canopy, which is inspired by the evolving development of modern medicine. This is why the interior of the building is built mostly from cedar wood, which also reflects pharmaceutical drugs having derived from plants. The interior captured my attention with the overarching stairs, slanted walls, lecture rooms that still have the smell of cedar, and huge windows that bring in natural light.

UBC Tennis Centre

Home to eight indoor tennis courts and one outdoor tennis court, this building is a very well lit. The building is also built and designed so that tennis tournaments could be televised as well. The architects behind this building pushed for a series of windows running horizontally across the south side of the building. This creates transparency from the building to the streets. The idea was to create a greater sense of safety on the sidewalk, especially at night. However, only a few windows were installed due to the limited budget.

Beaty Biodiversity Museum

Home to a variety of different species, but perhaps most famously known for where the exhibition of the blue whale is located. This museum always causes students walking by to take a second look at the enormous blue whale’s skeletal body that extends the whole upper museum floor. Often students think that the museum is only where the blue whale is shown but they don’t realize the museum extends underground, full of amazing specimen. Definitely a worthwhile visit. The building is connected to three other research buildings which seems like they are built separatly, but are actually connected underground. It is also built perpendicular to UBC’s Main mall, West mall and East mall. Additionally, in the centre of the building is a large open green space with long benches that creates a very welcoming atmosphere for people to enjoy. This museum is an excellent way to welcome public education as well. Previously, many of the specimens were preserved in jars and kept behind closed doors in the research labs. However, because there was a great potential for public education and no reason why these amazing specimen should be hidden from public display, the Beaty Biodiversity Museum was built.