https://www.architecturalrecord.com/rss/2279-hcma en-us jim@jamesgauer.com (James Gauer) Iconic designs don't always make good places. Photogenic buildings that assert themselves as individual landmarks may ignore their context and fail to enhance the public realm.

]]> 1305-ubc-faculty-of-pharmaceutical-sciences-saucier-perrotte-architectes-and-hcma.asp Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:00 -0400 https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/7936-ubc-faculty-of-pharmaceutical-sciences The west facade of the pharmaceutical building provides a showstopping entrance, where glass-clad cubes are pulled out of the volume. UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical SciencesSaucier + Perrotte Architectes and HCMAVancouver, British Columbia The west facade of the pharmaceutical building provides a showstopping entrance, where glass-clad cubes are pulled out of the volume.Photo © Marc Cramer Occupying a corner site on the UBC campus, the rectilinear structure hovers above a base where sleek glass walls alternate with sturdy poured-in-place concrete, as shown on the south facade. UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical SciencesSaucier + Perrotte Architectes and HCMAVancouver, British ColumbiaOccupying a corner site on the UBC campus, the rectilinear structure hovers above a base where sleek glass walls alternate with sturdy poured-in-place concrete, as shown on the south facade.Photo © Marc Cramer The two wedge-shaped atriums of the pharmaceutical building are clad in cedar, and skewed openings in a canted white gypsum-board wall along the south end of the east atrium reveal glimpses of the pe UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical SciencesSaucier + Perrotte Architectes and HCMAVancouver, British ColumbiaThe two wedge-shaped atriums of the pharmaceutical building are clad in cedar, and skewed openings in a canted white gypsum-board wall along the south end of the east atrium reveal glimpses of the perimeter circulation.Photo © Marc Cramer Cedar also lines the cubiform offices. UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical SciencesSaucier + Perrotte Architectes and HCMAVancouver, British ColumbiaCedar also lines the cubiform offices.Photo © Marc Cramer In the lobby, the poured-in-place-concrete structure looks like an angular tree trunk. UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical SciencesSaucier + Perrotte Architectes and HCMAVancouver, British ColumbiaIn the lobby, the poured-in-place-concrete structure looks like an angular tree trunk.Photo © Marc Cramer On the north edge of the sixth floor, a narrow skylit shaft brings natural illumination into the interior, separating the offices (banked on two levels) from the higher-ceilinged laboratories. The ski UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical SciencesSaucier + Perrotte Architectes and HCMAVancouver, British ColumbiaOn the north edge of the sixth floor, a narrow skylit shaft brings natural illumination into the interior, separating the offices (banked on two levels) from the higher-ceilinged laboratories. The skinny light well runs perpendicularly to the two large cedar-clad atriums in the interior of the block.Photo © Marc Cramer The architects pixelated an image of two trees to morph the organic form into Cartesian geometry for the building's design. UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical SciencesSaucier + Perrotte Architectes and HCMAVancouver, British ColumbiaThe architects pixelated an image of two trees to morph the organic form into Cartesian geometry for the building's design. Photo © Marc Cramer The front elevation's stair, as viewed from below. UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical SciencesSaucier + Perrotte Architectes and HCMAVancouver, British ColumbiaThe front elevation's stair, as viewed from below.Image courtesy Saucier + Perrotte Architectes and HCMA The front elevation's stair, as viewed from below. UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical SciencesSaucier + Perrotte Architectes and HCMAVancouver, British ColumbiaThe front elevation's stair, as viewed from below.Image courtesy Saucier + Perrotte Architectes and HCMA