Poised to become a significant new building for both medical education and sustainable architecture, the Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough Campus represents a significant step forward for the region. Scheduled to open its doors in Fall 2026, this visionary five-story facility, designed by the acclaimed architectural firms MVRDV and Diamond Schmitt, will house the first and only medical school in the Eastern Greater Toronto Area (GTA), directly addressing a critical need for healthcare professionals and improved access to care.
Integrated Design and Sustainable Vision
At the heart of the complex lies a lively, five-story atrium – envisioned as a “fissure in a boulder” – carving a welcoming, light-filled void through the building. This central space serves not only as an architectural focal point but also as an active hub promoting collaboration among students, faculty, and the wider community. The building’s innovative façade further shows its commitment to sustainability, clad in integrated photovoltaic panels designed to supply up to 20% of its energy needs. These panels offer a changing aesthetic, subtly shifting in appearance with altering weather conditions, animating the campus setting.
Sustainability is woven into the very structure of the building. A flexible 9.6-meter steel grid provides the foundation, enabling easy reconfiguration of laboratory and teaching spaces over time. This forward-thinking design minimizes material waste and embodied carbon during future renovations, significantly extending the building’s functional lifespan and reducing its long-term environmental impact.
An Educational Hub and Community Lifeline
More than just a medical school, the Garron Complex is conceived as an integrated healthcare system. It will feature state-of-the-art facilities including an anatomy lab, large classrooms, clinical skills labs, and specialized instructional labs. Crucially, it will also integrate teaching with community service through three publicly accessible clinics: a clinical psychology clinic, a nurse practitioner-led clinic, and a satellite location of U of T’s Discovery Pharmacy.
The facility has an ambitious goal: to train a new generation of healthcare professionals strongly connected to the community they serve. Annually, it aims to educate over 300 future doctors, alongside 46 physician scientists/residents, 56 physician assistants, 30 nurse practitioners, and 40 physical therapists. By providing world-class training within the region, the complex seeks to directly improve healthcare access and outcomes for the varied and underserved populations of Scarborough and the Eastern GTA.
Architectural Significance and Connection to Place
The Garron Complex’s architecture thoughtfully integrates the building with its surroundings. The central atrium visually connects the interior activities with the campus setting, blurring the lines between inside and out. The outdoor planning further reinforces this connection, utilizing native species and Indigenous planting principles that honour the local environment and ecological context. This sensitive approach emphasizes the building’s role not just as an educational facility, but as a responsible and engaged member of the community and ecosystem.
Philanthropic Foundation and Lasting Legacy
This transformative project was made possible by a major $25 million donation from Myron and Berna Garron. The complex proudly bears their names, honouring their deep commitment to advancing healthcare education and their vision for a healthier future in the region.
