July 14, 2025

The SCUP Excellence Awards recognize that comprehensive campus design and planning are collaborative efforts involving campus architects, planners, administrators, faculty, professional consultants, and many stakeholders.

Innovation Village at Fanshawe College has received the 2025 SCUP/AIA-CAE Merit Award of Excellence in Architecture for Building Additions, Renovation, or Adaptive Reuse.

Transforming and expanding the College’s core, the 126,828-square-foot facility connects previously disparate wings to create a new campus hub that brings students, professors, and professionals from across the College and the broader community together to engage in cross-disciplinary collaboration and foster unique industry partnerships. 

Sustainability is also emphasized. On the exterior, the Innovation Village is wrapped in a custom Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) cladding system that provides on-site renewable energy to power the building.

"This is a great project. The consolidation of programs that support various of learning as well as innovation programs to create a campus hub is strong. The story includes the engagement and consultations/input from students. The interiors are beautiful and clearly identify with Indigenous identity (given that the college has over 400 Indigenous students). The building exterior says "innovation" with its playful use of planes and includes BIPV. Very nice" says a member of the Jury.

A key feature at the heart of Innovation Village is the Indigenous Spirit Assembly, the Kalihwíy̲o̲ Circle which brings Indigenous presence into the built fabric of the campus, creating a place for learning and storytelling. This space has inspired an atmosphere of connectivity, creativity and collaboration that extends throughout the building.

"Well designed and executed, spaces are diverse and interesting throughout. Nice use of materials and textures in concert with natural lighting and views. Facade and entry and interesting and compelling, a strong icon to draw people in […]” says a member of the Jury 

With a focus on flexibility and openness, and establishing visual connections, Innovation Village stands as a crossroads–encouraging spontaneous participation, bringing together diverse cultural and educational perspectives while adapting to the evolving academic landscape.

Read more about the SCUP awards program and winners here.