Shawenjigewining Hall at Ontario Tech University (Photo: Doublespace Photography)
The new Shawenjigewining Hall at Ontario Tech University in Oshawa, Ontario, is a recently completed 110,000 square-foot addition to the campus designed to create the sense of gravity and community.
With hybrid learning having now become the new norm and as students balance remote and in-person learning methods, higher education institutions have identified a need for campus spaces that promote socializing and an elevated on-campus experience.
Shawenjigewining Hall at Ontario Tech University (Photo: Montgomery Sisam Architects)
The name “Shawenjigewining” means “a place of kindness and friendship,” and comes from a vision received during the sacred sweat lodge ceremony. A plaque with the building?s name, its meaning, and the image of a deer, which came during the vision and is Shawenjigewining Hall’s visual identity, is displayed in the front foyer of the building. The architectural design was completed by Montgomery Sisam Architects in a joint venture with Architecture Counsel. The campus facility serves as a mixed-use student hub and contains a series of spaces for students.
Shawenjigewining Hall at Ontario Tech University (Photo: Montgomery Sisam Architects)
The building incorporates different types of spaces, both active and quiet options, which have all been designed to cater to a variety of student needs as well as build an environment that complements hybri...