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Trent University

Heritage Stewardship

  • Welcome
  • The Architectural Vision
  • Ron Thom
  • Furniture
  • Revitalization Projects
  • Heritage Policy
A collage of images and text about the history of Trent University displayed on a stone wall

Heritage Stewardship

  • Welcome
  • The Architectural Vision
  • Ron Thom
  • Furniture
  • Revitalization Projects
  • Heritage Policy
TRENTU.CA / Heritage Stewardship

Welcome

Trent: Young, Unique and Award-winning

Trent University is unique amongst the institutions created during the 1960s’ era of expansion in provincial higher education. The university was planned over an unprecedented three-year period by Ron Thom and his team of architects and designers. The end result was a coherent architectural style with a total design from the inside-out. It was the only university of the era that was designed as a ready-made collegiate institution with a collection of scholarly villages situated around a central library complex. The architectural design won several contemporary awards and continues to be seen as one of the best examples of the mid-century modern style in North America.

The early design was replete with both ingenious design and infuriating faults, as is the case with all truly innovative architectural achievements. Both the modern design and the pastoral setting of Trent University continues to inspire and attract new students. Five decades of growth and innovation have led to a rich campus exploding in art, sculptures, commemorative plaques and monuments, furniture, elements of architecture and design as well as altered natural spaces and indigenous, sacred spaces. Trent’s cultural resources and dynamic spaces play a role in attracting new students, the retention of current students, and the national and international reputation of the institution as one of the most beautiful campuses in Canada.

master plan overview

The Architectural Vision

 “I believe a university’s physical environment is a fundamental part of the educational experience. A quality education requires an understanding and appreciation of beauty and design. Ron Thom conceived the buildings of Trent to grow out of the landscape. It’s a superb example of a conceptual architecture that is respectful of the location.” Thomas Symons...

The Architectural Vision
Ron thom self

Ron Thom Master Planner

Ron Thom (1923-86) surged to the forefront of Canadian architecture in the heady years after World War II. His work at Trent University brought him international acclaim, and for many admirers, it remains the most exemplary masterpiece of his career and secured his place in the pantheon of Canadian architects.

Ron Thom
The Legendary Furniture

The Legendary Furniture

Trent University embodied Ron Thom’s ideal of a “total work of art”, including its original furniture, which quickly became famous. He designed much of the furniture as beautiful built-in benches and millwork embedded within the actual building.

Furniture
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Additional Resources

  • Ron Thom: Trent University’s Walking Tour
  • Media and Awards
  • Student Project: Ron Thom's Original Collection
  • Trent University Art Collection
  • Trent University Visual Archive
Trent University logo
Challenge the Way You Think

Trent University respectfully acknowledges it is located on the treaty and traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishinaabeg. We offer our gratitude to First Peoples for their care for, and teachings about, our earth and our relations. May we honour those teachings.

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