The Innovation Village connects several parts of the existing campus and was designed to embody the school’s focus on collaboration and sustainability. SolarLab engineered, fabricated, and supplied a bespoke BIPV facade system that operates as a drained and back-ventilated rainscreen with concealed fixings. Each panel consists of laminated safety glass incorporating high-efficiency solar cells, mounted on a precision aluminium substructure designed to accommodate local wind and snow loads as well as normal building tolerances. The result is a seamless architectural surface that contributes to the building’s energy performance targets while remaining true to the original design intent.
From an architectural perspective, the project demonstrates how BIPV can be used as a primary cladding material without compromising the design language. The panel layout follows the building’s structural rhythm, and joints are aligned with key architectural lines to maintain a disciplined elevation. At corners and transitions, the cladding returns cleanly to preserve a sense of continuity and depth, while the rainscreen cavity provides proper ventilation and service access.
Corner detail of SolarLab's BIPV facade for Fanshawe Innovation Centre
Transforming Fanshawe Innovation Centre with BIPV
SolarLab's BIPV Facade for Fanshawe Innovation Centre
Innovation Village stands as an example of how architectural quality and renewable technology can coexist within a single material expression. The facade contributes to the building’s sustainability goals while reinforcing the college’s ambition to make innovation a visible and permanent part of its campus.
Project Achievements
The Fanshawe College Innovation Village has been widely recognised for its architectural and environmental achievements. The project received the 2025 Canadian Green Building Award from SABMagazine and the 2025 SCUP/AIA-CAE Merit Award for Building Additions, Renovation or Adaptive Reuse. It also earned an Honourable Mention at the 2025 London Urban Design Awards and the 2025 ARIDO Award in the LEARN category for interiors. These distinctions highlight the project’s success in merging architectural quality with a future-focused sustainability agenda.