Trent University recently designed design concepts for its newest college building, the Gidigaa Migizi College, and a new Otonabee College residence.

The plans incorporate sustainability features, including a geothermal heating and cooling system. The buildings will also aim to achieve LEED Gold certification. The integration of sustainable building practices in both buildings align with Trent’s environmental goals, ensuring an energy-efficient and forward-thinking campus infrastructure.

“This is a landmark moment for Trent as we continue to expand in ways that honour our past while looking ahead to our future,” said Tariq Al-idrissi, the college’s vice-president of finance and administration. “Gidigaa Migizi College and the new Otonabee College residence will be transformative spaces on Trent’s already iconic Peterborough campus. We are eager to see this vision coming to life.”

Gidigaa Migizi College will serve as a hub for academic programming and student living. Together with the renewal of Otonabee College residences, modernized student housing will be a feature of both new buildings, offering state-of-the-art accessibility features and increased capacity to address the demand for on-campus living experiences.

Architects Diamond Schmitt also presented landscape and flow designs for the footprint of the two buildings, highlighting expanded indoor and outdoor common areas, such as a covered outdoor pavilion designed for community gathering and learning. The redirection of vehicle traffic will strengthen connections to the Otonabee River and prioritize pedestrian movement on campus. 

Indigenous architectural firm Two Row Architects engaged with Indigenous communities and groups on campus to inform the integration of Indigenous culture and significance in the design of the new buildings. Two Row prepared a report based on feedback gathered from a series of talking circles with First Peoples House of Learning, the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies and local Indigenous communities. Feedback from the report will be integrated into architectural elements and designs, to be shared at future engagement sessions.  

With the two buildings anticipated to open in fall 2028, site preparation will begin this winter with a groundbreaking event planned for summer 2025.

Developers Fram Construction will lead construction.