UBC MacLeod: A Seismic Test Case

Categories: All, Architecture, General

March 10, 2021

Our ongoing major renovation of The MacLeod Building, the electrical and computer engineering building at UBC, involves a complete gutting down of the building to its basic structural elements. Necessary seismic upgrades are driving the renovation, which has provided an opportunity to reconstruct the building to evolve its approach to 21st Century learning. As part of the assessment, there was consideration given to not just upgrade to current code levels, but to exceed those levels.

The motivation was to limit damage to both structural and non-structural elements of the building, which would extend the useful life of the building, further protecting the investment in new infrastructure and systems that allow faculties to keep adapt to new teaching approaches.

After many years of working with UBC on various renew projects, we are proud to be involved in this exciting and sustainable approach to campus facilities! Extending the life of this 1967 building designed by Thompson Berwick Pratt is an important step in preserving the rich architectural history of UBC campus.