TORONTO — As Seneca Polytechnic’s new Health and Wellness Centre (HWC) continues to take shape, it is already turning some heads for its unique design.
Being built at Seneca’s Newnham Campus to replace outdated facilities, the building was recently honoured with a first place award from the Global Architecture & Design Awards, which celebrate new buildings that showcase excellence and innovation in architecture and design, a release reads.
The project was chosen from more than 1,200 submissions from across 40 countries and is a partnership between DIALOG, Indigenous design firm Two Row Architect and Seneca Polytechnic.
“The design of the Health and Wellness Centre aimed to put people first, bringing the entire Seneca community together to play, gather, heal and learn within a new heartbeat of Newnham Campus,” said Craig Applegath, architect and founding partner with DIALOG in a statement. “This project emerged through meaningful collaboration with Seneca’s contributors and a close partnership with Two Row Architect, demonstrating how strong collaborative relationships can help envision a more creative, inclusive and hopeful future for Canada.”
The building is currently under construction with foundation installation in progress and is expected to open in 2028. Bird Construction was awarded the contract in 2023.
“This project was never about us as designers – it is about the Seneca community it serves and the land it is rooted in,” said Erik Skouris, studio director and architect, Two Row Architect. “Through net-zero performance and Indigenous design principles, the Health and Wellness Centre gives back to place rather than simply occupying it. We are grateful to Seneca Polytechnic and DIALOG for listening deeply to the land and to the First Peoples at Seneca. The result is a building that embodies place-knowing and stands as a meaningful expression of care, responsibility and respect.”
The HWC also received a bronze designation at the 2025 International Design Awards and an honourable mention in the 2025 Architecture MasterPrize.
