Courtyard Housing

Like a nucleus, this campus expansion populates the existing built fabric with new housing development to introduce density and reduce the distance between people and their destinations. By shifting the new development into the existing campus center, the proposed lots for building expansion are instead reserved as natural parkland. This landscape loop will increase the campus’ green space by more than 300%.

The new housing blocks are conceived as a series of stepped solar courtyards that open to views and solar access. Toward the north and south, these courtyard blocks step up to maximize passive solar heat gain and views. Toward the east and west, the blocks step down to allow the flow of passive cooling breezes in summer as well as pedestrian access. At grade, the courtyard blocks are activated by a blend of retail, hospitality, community, and university functions. By weaving an intimate, pedestrian fabric between the blocks, this new spatial organization blocks winds in winter, and promotes a walkable campus year-round despite Manitoba’s extreme seasonal climate.

Client
University of Manitoba Campus Planning Department

Location
Winnipeg, Canada

Program
Campus masterplan, nature park, academic buildings, housing, transit station, retail, urban design

Area
472,328m² (5M ft²)

Status
Competition

Team
Andrew Heid, Tomas Janka, Nicolas Hannequin, Christopher Purpura