Photo: The mosaic-like exterior was inspired by a printer鈥檚 tray to reflect the diversity of spaces and experiences contained within. | Photo Credit (all): Doublespace Photography
By Lindsey Coulter
The Sam Ibrahim Building at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), which opened in April, has quickly become a defining presence on campus, embodying both architectural innovation and academic purpose. Designed by ZAS Architects + Interiors (lead architect and lead interior designer) and CEBRA (lead design architect), the roughly 200,000-square-foot, $145 million facility reflects a bold vision: to create a sensory-forward learning environment that prioritizes student well-being, inclusivity and innovation.
With its broad stretches of glazing, integration with the surrounding landscape, and neuroarchitectural design approach, the Sam Ibrahim Building embodies a new kind of academic hub 鈥� one designed with students at its core.
鈥淭ranslating into practice the University of Toronto鈥檚 progressive stance on young adult education, we have designed a building that creates diversity in teaching and learning situations. Applying insights from neuroarchitecture, the design supports activity-based, socially engaging and peer-to-peer learning through an interweaving arrangement of classrooms, student service facilities, and the open public domain,鈥� said Carsten Primdahl, founding partner of CEBRA architecture and a lead designer of the project.
First Impressions
Named for donor Sam Ibrahim, president of the Arrow Group of Companies, the building houses a variety of teaching and learning spaces in a deceptively straightforward envelope.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very complicated building inside, but you just look at it from the outside, it seems like just a box,鈥� said Alex Fehertoi, Associate at ZAS.
Contained within that simple form are cutting-edge experiential and instructional areas such as the Sam Ibrahim Centre for Inclusive Excellence in Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Leadership, along with academic spaces for the Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences. It also houses the Office of Student Experience and Wellbeing, Academic Advising & Career Centre, AccessAbility Services, and the campus鈥� Health and Wellness Centre.
The program is distributed vertically. Classrooms, labs and study areas fill the first three levels, while Computer and Mathematical Sciences faculty and staff offices occupy the third and fourth floors. Student services, including wellbeing and advising, are located on the fifth floor. This vertical stacking underscores the building鈥檚 role as both a teaching tool and community hub, creating intersections between academic, service and social life.
Even the facade was infused with intentionality. The mosaic-like exterior was inspired by a printer鈥檚 tray to reflect the diversity of spaces and experiences contained within. Each classroom, office and social space contributes to a literal and figurative patchwork of activity that fuels innovation and inclusion.
A Hub for Program and Purpose
More than just consolidating essential programs, the Sam Ibrahim Building creates spaces for new kinds of academic exchange. In addition to 124 student services offices and staff spaces, 20 flexible classrooms accommodate a wide spectrum of teaching approaches. The Sam Ibrahim Centre underscores the university鈥檚 emphasis on entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership, while creatively designed lecture spaces on the fourth level welcome experts from across the globe.
Even faculty offices were designed with recruitment in mind to help draw top-tier educators, the overall design prioritizes adaptability. Flexible layouts, integrated technology, and multiple scales of gathering spaces allow the building to serve different teaching models and student needs simultaneously. From large-scale lectures to informal peer-to-peer collaboration, the building reflects a pedagogical shift toward inclusivity and active learning.
鈥淭he Sam Ibrahim Building is a wonderful new addition to U of T Scarborough,鈥� said Vice-President, U of T and Principal, U of T Scarborough, Linda Johnston. 鈥淪tudents will have opportunities to study, collaborate and socialize in a variety of unique spaces designed with their needs in mind, which goes a long way in contributing to their well-being and success.鈥�
Teaching and Learning Environments
Students and educators have a plethora of options within the Sam Ibrahim Building to suit their learning and teaching styles and goals, including six tiered lecture rooms, each designed to provide a distinct learning experience.
Additionally, the Arrow Group Innovation Hall 鈥� a 500-seat, theatre-in-the-round hexagonal space with surrounding digital screens 鈥� positions the presenter at the center, minimizing distance from the back rows and encouraging dialogue and participation.
Among the medium-sized tiered learning spaces, the Cave is a calm retreat. Its stone-like interior surfaces, crafted from sound-absorbing material, engage the sense of touch and enhance concentration.
Meanwhile, the Collaboratorium offers a cooperative environment supporting group work. Tiered niches inspired by nightclub booths accommodate up to six people around a table. Each booth includes digital collaboration technology and is lined with acoustic fabric.
鈥淗ere we included banquette seating, and all the materials in this room are soft, so it has a very plush tone,鈥� said Fehertoi. 鈥淭he lighting is centered over each booth 鈥� it鈥檚 meant for small group projects, more intimate settings.鈥�
Other mid-sized classrooms feature active-learning layouts that replace traditional rows of desks with flexible, reconfigurable furniture and integrated AV systems. Together, these varied settings support a range of pedagogies, from traditional lectures to collaborative problem-solving, underscoring UTSC鈥檚 commitment to inclusive and participatory education.
Learn more about how the sustainable and data-backed design of the Sam Ibrahim Building creates spaces for new kinds of academic exchange, integrates the surrounding landscape and anchors the university鈥檚 master plan in the Higher Education issue of 91视频.