Client: Hariri Pontarini Architects
Location: Waterloo, ON, Canada
Completion date: 2008
Project Team
Artist
Entro
Entro
Architect
Hariri Pontarini Architects
Hariri Pontarini Architects
Overview
The University of Waterloo Pharmacy Building houses the pharmacy school, a medical centre, and is a hub of activity for the university and the community of Kitchener.
Goals
Entro's exterior façade mosaic, built within the glass and aluminum structure of the façade, consists of flower patterns inspired by 17th-century botanical drawings. These flower patterns interwoven within the glass create a rhythm and mood that is not only beautiful, but reflective of the organic and holistic approach of the school.
Additional Information
Toronto Star architecture critic Christopher Hume named it one of Southern Ontario’s most influential buildings. A bright anchor among old warehouses, the building played a major role in reviving Kitchener’s downtown core. Dean Thiessen remarked, “We’ve got a building that isn’t just materials. It’s spirit. It expresses engagement. It expresses discovery and transformation. It’s a welcoming place.”