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O C T O B E R 2 0 2 0 | 65 St. Angela Merici Catholic School P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E SY CO R N ER S TO N E A RC H I T EC T U R E I N CO R P O R AT ED I n the quiet City of Chatham, Ontario, students, teachers, and families are excited about the open- ing of St. Angela Merici Catholic School. Designed for children of all ages – from newborns and toddlers in childcare and junior kindergarten to grade eight – the two-storey facility replaces three older schools: St. Vincent, Our Lady of Fatima, and St. Agnes. "This was definitely a team effort, with teachers, office staff, custodi- ans, principals, and representatives from all of our workforce adding their voices to the design," says Deb Crawford, director of education with the St. Clair Catholic District School Board. "We started off with a tabletop and built the school from that. It was so much fun for everyone. COVID-19 increased the suspense because peo- ple were not able to access the facility ahead of time." The school is located in a newer and developing area of Chatham with more families. Jason Butcher, project manager for Norlon Builders London Limited explains the exterior of the school fea- tures red brick with metal siding and aluminum panels. Tony Montanino, manager of facil- ity services, says the vision for the inside created by the user group included a building that would allow for collaborative learning spaces that flow into the double-height atrium. "When people come in the front door they are greeted with a beautiful cross, the natural light in the atrium, and the spectacular concrete staircase with glass railings that leads to the second floor," he says. "The foyer also opens into the community rooms and the main office so it's very welcom- ing. We have an outdoor classroom at the front of the building that offers another collaborative learning space." Butcher adds that sun shades with tri- angular sails were incorporated into the outdoor classroom. From the atrium, the gymnasium can be seen through a glass wall. "The gym has a bifold divider door that cre- ates two 3,200-square-foot spaces, or the full 6,400 square feet can be used for larger events," Montanino explains. Another unique feature in the gymnasium is a motorized, drop- down hydraulic stage that, with the turn of a key, can create a per- formance area in two minutes for presentations or guest speakers. "The stage slides down from the wall and roles forward on wheels. It's a beautiful design feature that allows the school to maximize the gym space," he says. The décor of the school includes a variety of colours for an inviting atmo- sphere and, in some areas, create a form of wayfinding. "The primary classes have accent walls with colours that extend to the doors and door frames," says Montanino. "Each of the kindergar- ten rooms also have specific colours." He adds the facility is a nice size for the community. "There will be a walk- ing path in the interior of the yard that allows kids to do some outdoor activities. There are also natural play areas being created in the kindergarten space." Alison Hannay, princi- pal at Cornerstone Architecture Incorporated says most of the natu- ral light comes through windows, although at the top of the atrium there are some clerestory features. "The atrium was created to serve as a gath- ering space that would be for everyday use, but also has qualities that would be appropriate for religious celebra- tions," she explains, noting the library learning commons also opens into the atrium space. "At the main entrance to the school, a canopy offers shelter before peo- ple enter the vestibule," she says. "We were careful to site the building so that the entrance is sheltered from the prevailing west wind. The children and staff can also enter through side and back entrances." Hannay notes the lower level is for the primary grades, and the upper level is designed for students in grade five, six, seven, and eight. "The designs on the upper floors are more focused on the young teen groups, with lockers for the older students. We also created spaces called Thinking Studios for collaboration, with larger seminar spaces on the upper floor." She says they worked hard to make sure the building was very energy- efficient, including the mechanical system, and incorporating LEED fea- tures where they could. Outside, the school also features two soccer fields and an asphalt area with three basketball courts. A ST. ANGELA MERICI CATHOLIC SCHOOL by LAURIE JONES LOCATION 801 McNaughton Avenue W., Chatham, Ontario OWNER /DEVELOPER St. Clair Catholic District School Board ARCHITECT Cornerstone Architecture Incorporated GENER AL CONTR ACTOR Norlon Builders London Limited STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT MTE Consultants Inc. MECHANICAL /ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Chorley & Bisset Ltd. CIVIL CONSULTANT Development Engineering Ltd. TOTAL SIZE 68,200 square feet TOTAL COST $14.4 million 8:23 AM 8:05 AM 12:53 PM