McGill University and Génome Québec Innovation Centre

Inspired by the collaborative nature of the Human Genome project

This project was conceived to act as a networking site for research initiatives in the fields of genomics and proteomics. It accommodates five distinct research groups within a 92,000 square-foot facility: the Montreal Genome Centre, the Montreal Proteomics Centre, the Génome Québec Expertise Centre, the Montreal Bone Research Centre, and 5 bio-business incubators. The plan balances specialized laboratory and office space with three key interactive spaces – the public passage through the building which links the city to the campus, the atrium which provides an interactive social space for the facility, and the teleconference room. The laboratories, where raw data is gathered, are located on the east, while the bioinformatics offices for data analysis are located on the west. The intent was to create a building that acts as an instrument for knowledge, and to position the  public spaces strategically and symbolically as reminders that the work of science is directly connected to humanity.