A building dedicated to theoretical physics is, from a strictly practical perspective, quite similar to an ordinary office building – there are no laboratories or heavy machinery and one instead finds only desks, computers, lounges and blackboards. But an Institute is far more than a place to store desks and chairs, and Perimeter’s founders recognized from the outset that in order to establish a Waterloo-based Institute of the highest international standing it would be necessary to create a landmark building, both functionally and aesthetically, to attract and retain the very best researchers the world has to offer.

So when the City of Waterloo offered Perimeter officials a choice of several prime sites to donate to the Institute, the choice was an easy one to make. Despite the quality of all of the sites, only 31 Caroline Street had the unique combination of advantages that we were looking for: located on the south shore of Silver Lake in Waterloo Park where researchers could easily enjoy contemplative walks through the park, within close proximity to both University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University and still in the heart of Uptown Waterloo – a short stroll from a wide selection of restaurants, shops and cafes.

Equipped with an optimal site, we then set out to create an appropriately spectacular facility that could fully capitalize on the magnificent setting. The Institute’s Founding Executive Director, Howard Burton, together with architects Gilles Saucier and Andre Perrotte, consulted widely among the scientific community and traveled to a variety of existing research centres to develop a clear sense of what would be most important to incorporate, or avoid, in the new building. Our inquiries led Saucier + Perrotte architects to design the building based on the following principles:

1. The building must present a warm and convivial atmosphere, be aesthetically pleasing, and contain an abundance of natural light.
2. There must be a harmonious balance between private and public space throughout – a productive mixture of formal and informal discussion space combined with areas for quiet reflection and calculation.
3. The facility should be capable of running scientific conferences and occasional public events without unduly impinging on the resident research activities.
4. The Institute should be a landmark building for the entire community of Kitchener-Waterloo – to showcase a top quality, international research centre made possible by the vision and the success of a local company and its founder.