The Aurora Coast Innovation Center

The Aurora Coast Innovation Center explores the interconnection between nature and architecture. As a low-impact and high-performance plant research facility, the building is designed to support the health and well-being of both its occupants and the surrounding environment.

The Aurora Coast Innovation Center is a globally unique biotech research facility in the heart of Vancouver Island that hosts scientists who explore the medical uses of cannabis through its genetics and breeding.

The design is driven by putting the plants and living things first. The project aims to connect occupants to nature and support their health and well-being as well as sustainably regenerate and contribute to its surroundings.

To ensure the project remains viable for decades to come, the location of the buildings allow for future expansion up to three times their current size. The structure of the building is also flexible, demountable, and easily recyclable.

Mass timber is used as an exposed structure; a prefabricated, renewable, and organic material that captures and stores CO2 during its lifespan in the building, contributing to balance any possible CO2 emissions. The use of wood was a deliberate decision for its sustainable footprint and provides a biophilic backdrop to the laboratory environment. 

The exposed timber walls and ceilings are extremely durable and eliminate the need for finish materials. Infill walls were prefabricated off-site, reducing construction waste and speeding up the construction schedule. This efficient use of materials reduces the building’s embodied carbon, while still maintaining an expansive aesthetic of warm wood.

The high-performance envelope is designed to Passive House Standard, with thick insulation and airtight barrier that insulates the building from the exterior and reduces its overall energy demand significantly. Strategically placed window shades, roof overhangs, white reflective siding, and triple-glazed curtain wall also contribute to keep the energy use well below industry standards.

The clerestory design allows natural light to distribute throughout the building, creating a diffuse comfortable light quality for occupants, as well as reducing the energy demand.

The shared spaces are designed for comfort, minimizing reflected glare through a combination of natural indirect light and focused points of ambient up-lighting that distribute the glow evenly throughout the rooms.

Plant health and ecological health are a narrative throughout the building and contribute to the quality of the common spaces. The lobby, offices, labs and meeting rooms have been designed to inspire curiosity for both visitors and occupants about the healing and nourishing potential of plants.

Long view lines connect the occupants visually to the restored pollinator habitat and orchard. The aim of the facility is to foster creativity and innovation by connecting to the inspiring potential of nature and plants. The project harvests rainwater through the roof in order to water the exterior plants around the building. It also utilizes the storm water pond for irrigation. All used irrigation water in the greenhouse is reclaimed.

With its visual transparency and openness, views down the central spine and into working spaces showcase a glimpse at cannabis genetics and breeding research in action.

Client: Aurora Cannabis
Location: Comox, BC
Completion:  2020
Team: Local Practice (Architecture), Associated Engineering (Structural, Electrical, Mechanical Engineering), Lanarc (Landscape Architecture), McElhanney (Civil Engineering), Heatherbrae (General Contractor), Spearhead (Timber Framing), T.C. v.d. Dool (Greenhouse Fabrication)
Photography: Matt Shannon, Lance Sullivan, Harookz Photography, True North UAV (aerial)