Officials from the University of Waterloo gathered on October 28 to celebrate the official groundbreaking for Mathematics 4 (M4), the new Faculty of Mathematics building that begins construction this fall.

The five-storey, 120,000-square foot building will serve as the heart of the mathematics district on campus, and include increased classroom space, labs and a cutting-edge eco-friendly server room, called the Green Room.

“As the University of Waterloo works to lead Canada in technological, social and environmental innovation, the Faculty of Mathematics will be an essential part of that work,” says Dr. Mark Giesbrecht, dean of the Faculty of Mathematics. “Mathematics 4 will advance green computing and the data revolution while empowering researchers and students in mathematics, computer science, data science and statistics.”

Dr. Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo, connected M4 to the University’s larger Waterloo at 100 vision. “The facility will help Waterloo harness its expertise in technology to revolutionize health care, address the climate crisis, create a more equitable society, protect our data and privacy and drive economic prosperity,” he said. “M4 will bring together researchers from across the University and encourage new collaborations and synergies at the intersection of disciplines.”

Construction on Mathematics 4 is expected to take two to three years. The completed building will connect the W. G. Davis Computer Research Centre (DC), Mathematics and Computing (MC) and Mathematics 3 (M3) buildings, and will prioritize Indigenous design principles, sustainability and wellness.

The building was designed by Moriyama & Teshima Architects and is being built by Gillam Group.