State-of-the-art Gateway Health building opens as integrated hub for student health, teaching and research

UBC’s newest building, Gateway Health, is opening as a hub for student health, interdisciplinary teaching and collaborative research.

The 270,550-square-foot building gives a purpose-built home to the school of nursing, consolidates kinesiology programs from eight campus locations, and centralizes student health and wellbeing services for the first time.

Students now have access to modern teaching facilities, labs and study spaces designed to encourage collaboration. Later this year, Gateway Health will also host a new interprofessional teaching clinic, established through UBC Health, that will act as a unique space for developing and testing innovations in education and care.

Construction of the $207.9‑million project was made possible by the university and the generosity of donors, including students. Expansion of the nursing programs and operating funding for the new teaching clinic are supported by the Province of B.C.

“The Gateway Health building reflects UBC’s commitment to student health and wellbeing—bringing the best in learning, care and collaboration together under one roof, and creating new opportunities for interdisciplinary teaching and research in health,” said Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, UBC President and Vice-Chancellor. “On behalf of UBC, I want to thank our donors, government partners, and everyone who contributed to making this remarkable building possible.”

Nursing’s new foundation

For the school of nursing, ranked 16th globally, the custom-designed space represents a milestone in health education and research. The facility includes two skills lab bays, high-fidelity simulation suites, a nursing history archival room, four research centres (including centres focused on stigma and youth health, community engagement and gender equity, youth substance use, and men’s health), and specialized faculty labs supporting diverse research areas including health equity, seniors care and advanced nursing technologies.

“Our nursing degree programs have grown to meet the demand for nurses and nurse practitioners in B.C. and across Canada,” said Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc, director of the school of nursing. “Gateway Health’s new facilities will keep us at the forefront of nursing education and health research. Faculty, staff and students are thrilled with the possibilities it offers.”

Third-year nursing student Owen Miaskowski added, “Having a new space that feels like it’s for nursing students is uplifting. The classrooms are bigger, and with so many study spaces on different levels, it feels like I’m getting more immersed in the UBC student experience.”

Kinesiology comes together

For the school of kinesiology, the consolidation means labs, lecture theatres and faculty offices are now together, encouraging collegial encounters and informal collaboration. Modern facilities support work in neuromechanics, physiology, psychology, and sociocultural and Indigenous areas of movement, health and physical activity. Two major research centres—the Centre for Sport and Sustainability and the Balance and Falls Research Centre—anchor interdisciplinary work. The building houses 300-, 200- and 138-seat lecture theatres and advanced teaching labs, and hosts outreach programs such as Active Kids, Changing Aging and the Brain Wellness Program.

“Bringing the school of kinesiology into Gateway Health has created new opportunities for collaboration among faculty and students,” said co-director Dr. Mark Carpenter. “Having labs, offices and teaching spaces in close proximity encourages the informal conversations that often spark new research ideas.”

“We’re already seeing interdisciplinary partnerships emerge across campus, including with nursing, student health services and the team-based care clinic,” added co-director Dr. Romeo Chua.

A hub for integrated care, teaching and research

Gateway Health’s fourth floor will house a new UBC team-based primary care teaching clinic, an interdisciplinary initiative through UBC Health that integrates education, research and care to address the evolving health needs of British Columbians. A partnership between nine health professional programs, the clinic will offer students from each program opportunities to train together and learn from faculty and patients in an interactive, collaborative environment. 

Complementing this clinical focus, the third floor now also houses UBC Student Health and Wellbeing‘s services and programs, including primary medical care, counselling and health promotion programs, which were previously dispersed across campus.

Beyond health and wellbeing, Gateway Health will host the Arts Research Commons, a shared resource supporting the faculty of arts’ interdisciplinary centres, including Asian Canadian Research, Climate Justice, Computational Social Sciences, European Studies, Migration, Global Reporting, Language Sciences and Public Humanities.

Musqueam engagement in building and landscape design

Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm) representatives shaped Gateway Health from the earliest planning stages, creating a vision for Musqueam culture and welcome at this gateway to campus. Their engagement shifted the building footprint north, creating a prominent landscape with native plantings—including many culturally significant to Musqueam—and gathering spaces. Architectural elements include warm wood finishes, exposed timber, terracotta cladding and filtered daylight in the atrium. Artworks by six Musqueam artists have been installed indoors and outdoors.

Built for the future

Gateway Health was designed to achieve net-zero carbon certification and meet LEED, WELL and Rick Hansen accessibility standards. Its hybrid mass-timber structure makes sustainability visible. The project was delivered with UBC Properties Trust, Perkins&Will, Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects and construction partners.