Awards

On April 23, 2014, The Canada Council for the Arts and RAIC | Architecture Canada announced the recipients of the Governor General’s Medals in Architecture. Ledcor’s UBC Pharmaceutical Sciences Building project was chosen, along with 11 other winning projects across Canada that reflect excellence in sustainable design, innovation, and compatibility with surrounding landscapes. 

The state-of-the-art facility, designed by award-winning Montreal architects Saucier+Perrotte with Vancouver’s Hughes Condon Marler, focuses on enjoyable, livable, and sustainable spaces for research and learning. The architecture has a striking presence on campus, functioning as a gateway to the academic core. 

Serving as an allegory for the development of modern medicine, the design concept relates to two trees whose foliage becomes fused into an extensive network of branches. To successfully contribute to UBC’s legacy of architecture and pharmaceutical research, the project develops a sustainable, signature design so as to provide a benchmark for education and research buildings. 

The medals, which are awarded only every two years, were created by RAIC | Architecture Canada and are administered jointly with the Canada Council for the Arts. The RAIC is a voluntary association established in 1907 to act as the voice of architects in Canada, and represents about 4,800 members. 

Learn more about the award.