Canadian architecture firm Diamond Schmitt has completed phase one of Toronto Metropolitan University's new School of Medicine, which features wood-clad structural elements and bold blue accents.

The TMU School of Medicine occupies the former Bramalea Civic Centre, which Diamond Schmitt transformed into a contemporary academic environment that integrates medical education with a public primary care clinic.

The adaptive reuse of the original 1970s brutalist structure introduces light, openness and transparency while retaining the building's grand civic presence.

"When we looked to transform the former civic building into a place of healing and learning, we drew inspiration from local ecologies as way to bring new life to the space," said Diamond Schmitt senior associate Haley Zhou.

The firm collaborated with Indigenous-owned studio Two Row Architect on the project, architectural elements reference the natural and cultural landscape of the region

At the centre is a large atrium intended as a space for students, faculty and community members to gather and connect.

Structural columns and the entry canopy are wrapped in wood fins to evoke the tall pines of nearby Chinguacousy Park — whose name translates from Ojibwe as "Land of Tall Pines".

An Ojibwe star map covers the ceiling, while portions of the original floor tile were preserved and interwoven with new tile patterns influenced by the structure of a Wampum belt.

"This desire to engage the design with its immediate surroundings mirrors the aspirations of the school program to contribute to the care of its own diverse community," said Zhou.

"With our unique combination of expertise in both health care facilities and post secondary institutions, we looked to create spaces that encourages both collaboration and exchange."

Phase one of the project was concentrated in the south wing of the building, where a ground-floor primary care clinic provides essential health services to local residents.

Above, highly flexible classrooms support multiple teaching configurations, accommodating in-person, hybrid and asynchronous learning.

A library off the atrium provide places for quiet and collaborative study, alongside informal learning spaces, while a round room is dedicated to Indigenous smudging ceremonies and smaller gatherings.

In the second phase of the project, academic and faculty areas that support research and administration across the building's north wing will also be completed.

"By transforming a former civic building into a place of medical learning and care, the project extends the building's original public purpose modernising the space to remove barriers, advance equitable access, and create an inviting environment for the community," said Diamond Schmitt senior associate Dennis Giobbe.

Earlier this year, Diamond Schmitt and MVRDV revealed the design of a terraced research building for the University of Toronto. The Canadian firm was also selected to design the New Brunswick Museum in Saint John, and previously worked on the renovation of the New York Philharmonic's David Geffen Hall.

The photography is by Tom Arban Photography.