Cunningham Building (1971)

Biology

 

This is a three-storey reinforced concrete building with exterior walls of exposed concrete. It was designed to accommodate classrooms, offices, laboratories and other research facilities of the biological sciences. The Department of Biology has been its sole occupant, moving most of its activities from the Elliott Building at the time of this building's completion.

Name

 

Jeffree Aikin Cunningham (1886–1974) was a native of Victoria and a student at Victoria College in 1906–07. During a teaching career that included the principalship of Boys' Central School, he completed his BA at Queen's University in 1922, winning the gold medal in biology. While teaching at Victoria High School, he became part-time Instructor in Biology at Victoria College in 1924, inaugurating studies in that discipline. Assuming full-time duties at Victoria College in 1927, he headed the Department of Biology until his retirement in 1951 (pursuing further studies and an active role as a research scientist). From 1933 to 1944 he served as College Registrar, and from 1944 to 1951 as Vice-Principal. For his distinguished contributions to the institution, he received the University’s first honorary LLD. degree in May
1964.

 

Facts and Figures

 

Architect: Erickson Massey, [Vancouver]
Structural: Bogue Babicki, [Vancouver]
Mechanical: D. W. Thomson & Company Ltd., [Vancouver]
Electrical: D. W. Thomson & Company Ltd., [Vancouver]
Contractor: Farmer Construction Ltd.
Contract: $2,397,000 (May 21, 1969); $2,308,580
Gross area: 71,620 sq. ft.
Cost per square foot: $32.23
Official opening: March 3, 1972, by the Hon. Ray G. Williston, Minister of Lands, Forests and
Water Resources

 

See UVic's maps and buildings description.

 

Photographs