This LEED Silver school was designed for an occupancy of 565 students, with an opening capacity of 815 (10 modular classrooms were designed to meet this requirement). The school amenities include science labs, CTS spaces, a band room, learning commons, gymnasium, and art room.
The school entrance is a high-volume space with clerestory windows creating a warm and welcoming gathering space for students, teachers, and guests. The administration block is located across the front of the building maximizing supervision of the main entry. Consideration was given for easy flow of students and parents and pick up and drop off times by locating the suite of ECS classrooms just off the main gathering area. A practical servery was designed to allow for a variety of uses including community gatherings, a breakfast program, student lunches.
Additionally, part of the main gathering space is the Learning Commons/Library, designed for maximum flexibility with an operable glass wall that can open into the central space for larger school gatherings.
The gymnasium is at the centre of the school, serving as a connecting piece internally. Circulation corridors on both sides allow for easy access into the gymnasium and its adjacency to the student gathering space, the servery and the front entry provides a highly flexible space for learners and for community members who can use the space after hours.
Light and views played a significant role in the development of this facility. All teaching spaces receive appropriate levels of natural lighting, either by window openings or clerestory windows. Exterior windows have operable venting units for access to fresh air and too enhance natural light into the central core, corridors, project areas, library and gathering space, the roof structure was designed to accommodate strategically placed clerestory windows allowing natural light to brighten the heart of the school.
