Adegbola Rhodes | Contributor
Featured image: The New Student Centre will increase studio space by 65 per cent. | Basma Elbahnasawy
Following the result of the 2013 referendum, where 90 per cent of the York student body voted in favour of a second building dedicated to a new student space, the New Student Centre is set to open this spring.
It will boast an impressive size of 126,000 square feet across four floors, complete with student-oriented designs, thanks to architecture by CannonDesign and Scott Torrance Landscape Architect.
CannonDesign’s Hector Tuminan said these designs were collected through 11,000 student surveys—including 146 club surveys—in order to comprehend their needs and priorities.
The project had an estimated $72 million budget for construction, which began in October 2016. in addition to funding from York the New Student Centre has received financial contributions from various student clubs.
Construction seemed to affect university operations, as many alternative walkways had to be provided for campus faculty and students, but these have proven simple for the York community to adapt to.
The Centre will satisfy student demands such as spaces to study, lounges, a multi-faith prayer space, as well as a variety of other services.
“One thing we heard from students was that it should really feel like a living space,” said Tuminan, noting that the interiors are designed as relaxed, communal spaces, complete with ample seating.
The New Student Centre is expected to increase 10 per cent of study space, 65 per cent of studio space, with 50 per cent more space for meetings, 18 per cent more for clubs, as 36 club offices will be made available in the new Student Centre, and a 70 per cent increase in prayer space for multi-faith prayer. The Centre will also contain York’s first urban plaza.
Matthew Bryant, a second-year iBBA student at Schulich, says “I have been needing a new spot on campus to hang with friends and at the same time get some work done. The New Student Centre is definitely going to look great, and is going to keep me on campus longer than usual.”
It is currently unknown what future attractions and venues will be added, but more information is expected to be provided as the Centre moves closer to opening.
