Designed by MVRDV and Diamond Schmitt Architects in collaboration with Indigenous practice Two Row Architect, the Temerty Building replaces the existing west wing of the Medical Sciences Building, completed in 1969 at the corner of King’s College Road and King’s College Circle. Along with the neoclassical Convocation Hall opposite, the site forms a gateway to Front Campus, the historic heart of the university.

By replacing the outdated and inflexible west wing, the project provides a modern facility to support the university's evolving research and education missions, including specialised facilities for infectious disease research and aquatic disease models. It not only addresses the growing spatial demands of the two faculties that will make it their home, it also creates a vibrant hub for learning and interdisciplinary exploration – uniting diverse talent from different disciplines to tackle complex scientific challenges.

The ground floor is open and welcoming, with a generous communal hall facing King’s College Circle. This triple-height space, inspired by Haudenosaunee longhouses, can serve as a casual meeting-place throughout the year, while playing a role in graduation ceremonies as a secondary audience space. In the south-western corner of the building, the design features spaces for the university’s Elders and Knowledge Keepers, while the landscape outside the building in this corner features an Indigenous teaching garden. The central part of the ground floor has a flexible plan, with moveable walls that allow it to transform from studio learning spaces to an open-plan space for events, such as a graduation staging area.