Business News 
LaSalle College Vancouver hosted a groundbreaking ceremony last week for their new campus on Kaslo Street in Vancouver, steps from the Renfrew SkyTrain Station.
As one of the leading art and design schools in Canada, LaSalle offers a variety of media arts, graphic design, culinary and film programs to their students. In 2021 they were named by the Princeton Review as the Best Game Design School in Canada.
The landmark project will include approximately 218,000 square feet of commercial space across 2 towers, with LaSalle College taking the entirety of the first tower (pictured above) and a small administrative space in the neighbouring building.
The development is expected to complete in mid-late 2023, when students will move into their new education facility. With access to numerous on-campus amenities, LaSalle is excited to welcome their students to a state of the art building in the Renfrew District’s growing neighbourhood.
The team at LaSalle was joined at the event by the developer Dak Molnar, Managing Director of the Molnar Group, members of the community and city officials including Kennedy Stewart, Mayor of Vancouver.
The Renfrew District includes the Kaslo Project that will welcome LaSalle College, followed by the future construction of two residential rental buildings. As part of the Renfrew District, the Molnar Group plans to further redevelop LaSalle College’s existing campus to provide more residential rental units and service retail for the community.
Upon entering the future campus, students will be greeted with a suspended theatre. The floating classroom will serve a unique dual-purpose, as both a lecture theatre and a multi-use event space.
Focus was placed on the design of the gaming lounge, given the importance of LaSalle’s game design and film programs. Students will be able showcase their work, experience the latest games and movies, and have a place to relax within this space.
When envisioning and planning the campus, the developer’s architects at IBI Group and LaSalle’s architect Tony Osborne from TOAD spent a considerable amount of time listening to students, staff and faculty to anticipate and deliver a great learning environment and a unique place for staff and faculty to work.
This was a very special opportunity to design and purpose build a space for our staff and our students. We engaged our staff and students about their aspirations for a new building, and the results are amazing.
Dr. Jason Dewling, President of LaSalle College Vancouver and COO for Asia Pacific
