At the nexus of this growth and intensification of the University of Toronto’s Mississauga Campus is Moriyama Teshima’s UTM Innovation Complex. A major expansion of the former Kaneff Centre, the building is a new gateway to the UTM campus, an incubator for industry partnerships, and a multifunctional hub of academic, administrative, and social activity. The focal point of this dynamic synergy is the Rotunda, an open and airy circular atrium created at the heart of the building. Lined in warm-toned travertine and white oak, the light-filled Rotunda is an engaging gathering place for faculty, students, and industry partners and a key venue for receptions and conferences.

This welcoming gesture is reflected in the Innovation Centre’s exterior. Floor-to-ceiling glass on the ground level showcases the activity inside and expresses transparency and accessibility, helping to activate an underused exterior courtyard and communicate an animated presence to passersby. Vertical aluminum fins on the upper two storeys continue the visual permeability while providing effective shading from direct sunlight.

Programmatically, the Innovation Centre houses UTM’s new Institute for Management and Innovation, whose experiential pedagogical model for business education brings together management students, bioscientists, and enterprise partners to foster innovation and commercialization. Supporting this interdisciplinary integration is the Li Koon Chun Finance Learning Centre and classrooms and faculty offices for the Department of Economics and the Department of Management. The Office of the Registrar makes the Innovation Complex a destination for the full UTM student body