Western’s new University Drive Student Residence is an eight storey gateway building designed to blend campus tradition with modern livability. Strategically located beside the iconic Richmond Gates, its grand glass and steel entrance pavilion welcomes students with transparency and an immediate sense of arrival. The exterior façade echoes Western’s historic Collegiate Gothic roots through vertical brick fins and articulated masonry, while crisp metal panels, large windows, and ample glazing introduce a contemporary expression.

Inside, the design is student centred: spacious lounges, study and music rooms, a full fitness centre, and a large dining hall foster wellness and community. Floor-to ceiling glazing bathes interior spaces in natural light, reinforcing connectivity with the surrounding city and campus. The landscape strategy includes outdoor courtyards and gathering areas that further link campus and community. Targeting LEED Gold, the building prioritizes sustainability through efficient systems, occupant wellbeing, and healthy materials.

At approximately 310,000 ft² and housing about 800 first year students, this residence is both a home and a civic landmark—welcoming, inclusive, and architecturally significant.