The Innovation Village at Fanshawe College is a new vibrant and collaborative space that caters to the different ways people learn. Designed by Diamond Schmitt, with Associate Architect Philip Agar Architect, the 126,828-square-foot facility transforms and expands the College’s core, creating a new campus hub that brings students, professors and professionals from across the College, and broader community, together to engage in cross-disciplinary collaboration and foster unique industry partnerships. Student and Indigenous engagement has informed the building’s design, visually and spatially, establishing a dynamic learning environment that supports diverse programming. With a focus on sustainability, Innovation Village is enveloped in a custom BIPV cladding that provides on-site renewable energy that powers the building.

Located at the centre of Fanshawe’s London Campus, Innovation Village brings together previously disconnected spaces to create a new heart for Fanshawe College. Drawing on the incubator space model, the design reflects the College’s academic approach which is focused on experiential learning. Catering to the various ways people learn and collaborate, Innovation Village offers a variety of adaptable spaces that range from silent study zones to open work/study areas, homework labs to multi-use event and presentation spaces. It is a place where all students have access to innovative technology, including maker spaces, an augmented reality and virtual reality lab, multimedia labs, and Leap Junction – a centre for all things entrepreneurship – fostering a start-up culture among both students and alumni alike, and teaching them the soft skills required to succeed in the changing workforce.

At the core of Innovation Village is the Canada Life Village Square, a full-height multipurpose agora that is positioned at the crossroads of the campus’s major corridors. This welcoming central forum can be used for guest lectures or pitch presentations, as an exhibition space, classroom, study space, or student lounge. Surrounded by interior glazing, the Square has multiple access points that open towards the building’s interior. This transparency establishes visual connections throughout and offers students and faculty a glimpse into the activities taking place within, and encourages spontaneous participation. Generous clerestory openings above the main atrium space allow light to penetrate the interior. Circulation spaces are animated by open lounge areas that create additional opportunities for impromptu discussions and connections.

Flexibility and openness continue with the two-storey Forwell Hall, a major event space run by the Fanshawe Student Union that can be used for tradeshows, fashion shows, or as a student lounge. Opening to courtyards to the north and south, the Hall offers throughviews and is characterized by a two-storey curtain wall system supported by wood glulam columns.

Indigenous engagement has been a key component in the overall design development of the Innovation Village, and was led by the College’s advisor in Indigenous education and development, Guy Williams, from the Nlaka’pamux Nation.

A new Library Learning Commons demonstrates the College’s commitment to inclusivity, and support for its more than 400 Indigenous students. It is home to the Kalihwíy̲o̲ Circle (Kalihwíy̲o̲ is from the Oneida (OnΛyota’a:ka) language meaning ‘good message’) – the Indigenous Spirit Assembly – that introduces Indigenous presence into the built fabric of the campus. Its circular formation creates a feeling of safety and trust, and encourages the gracious sharing of culture.

Respecting the four cardinal directions, the Kalihwíy̲o̲ Circle has direct access to a large adjacent courtyard. Anchored by a terrazzo floor ‘petal’ motif that represents the 28 days and ceiling motif that represents the 13 moons of the Lunar calendar, it is protected by a ‘turtle-shell’ ceiling which references the creation of Turtle Island, and can host Indigenous workshops, exhibitions, and smudging ceremonies. Kalihwíy̲o̲ Circle has been an important foundation for the design of Innovation Village and the establishment of an atmosphere of connectivity, creativity and collaboration, and the extension of the Indigenous spirit, throughout the project. Illustrations by Indigenous artist Hawlii Pichette who is Mushkego Cree (Treaty 9) and of urban mixed ancestry, are the basis of the graphic language of patterning that is used throughout the Innovation Village.

An interior palette of raw natural materials, such as wood, and the exposure of the building’s steel and concrete structures, captures a new energy for the College. A large timber glulam canopy at the main entrance, and south courtyard, establishes a warm and welcoming approach. Its seven pillars reference the 7 Indigenous teachings and the 7 job skills of the future outlined by the College.

On the exterior, the Innovation Village’s addition is wrapped in a custom Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) cladding system. This envelope system uses a nanotechnology surface treatment that allows for a coloured surface, as opposed to the standard black solar panel. It has minimal reflectance that optimizes solar transmittance and energy capture by the PV panels behind this glass. This technology allows for a dynamic blue hue that changes in tone with the weather and angle of view, and contributes an on-site renewable energy source.

Blending academic study with practical learning, Innovation Village marks an important milestone in the College’s commitment to innovation in education and collaboration with industry partners. With a focus on sustainability, Indigeneity and collaboration, Innovation Village reimagines what innovation means and creates an academic environment that brings together diverse cultural and educational perspectives and adapts to the changing academic landscape.

Design: Diamond Schmitt
Photography: Tom Arban Photography Inc.