A new science building is on its way to UW after the government of Canada pledged $24.7 million worth of funding to the $95 million project.
According to the UW Daily Bulletin, the building will “grow capacity for cutting-edge research, experiential education; and science-based entrepreneurship.”
Director of media relations, Nick Manning said the building has been in the works for seven years.
“We’ve known for a while that we needed to plan for the future,” Manning said. “For several years now, we’ve been looking at ways that we can accommodate a growing campus and give students, as well as faculty and staff members, the services and spaces they need.”
The complex will provide workspace and equipment for innovation in materials and nanoscience, bio-based chemistry, quantitative biology, metagenomics, and synthetic biology.
“In terms of what else might emerge from the complex, the possibilities are almost unimaginable,” Manning said.
With regard to how the new building will affect student life, Manning said, “The heart of this new complex is more than 23,000 square feet of space for student life and nearly 100,000 square feet specifically for learning.
“There’s so much growth happening in Waterloo right now. We’ve seen the number of our students rise significantly over the past five years. We really need to continue to provide the facilities that the population demands. In addition to the science complex, we’ve got work underway for the growth of the arts complex, again with a real focus on student space.
“At the heart of nearly all of these expansion projects is student life and student experience,” Manning said.
“We really try to provide students with what they need to have a rich, vibrant experience here at the university.”
