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M A R C H 2 0 2 1 | 65 New Westminster Secondary School The visual showcase of the project is a grand commons that can easily accommodate 400 people and can also be repurposed from its main intent as a cafeteria seating area to a teach- ing commons or assembly space. "At three-storeys high it provides a true sense of the school's scale and imparts a sense of awe," says Hachlaf. The placement of the new school within the site was particularly com- plex due to historic uses and the need to keep both the existing school and adjacent stakeholders operational during the build. As for the challenges of construction itself, which began in 2018, Justin Marchiel, senior project manager at Graham, says, "The large size of the building meant we were on site for many months, and then the pandemic hit and we had to quickly adopt new health measures. "The extensive volume of glass used throughout the school posed seismic challenges, plus we had to hide many of the structural components. So we worked closely with our steel contrac- tor and structural engineer to place shear walls in stairwells and other unobtrusive areas." Glotman Simpson Consulting Engineers provided the structural engineering for the school, "Our team used composite steel beams in combi- nation with precast hollowcore panels to achieve the lengthy spans required to support the classroom areas," says James Macauley, associate at Glotman Simpson. "The hollowcore was cho- sen in conjunction with steel beam and column framing to achieve an economic layout. This allowed for reduced weight and associated seismic loads, as well as allowing for expe- dited installation time." Lightwells on the roof provided illumination to the grand commons, and sunscreen canopies on the south side of the building were deemed a cost-efficient method of controlling heat gain in summer. Marchiel is particularly impressed by a large glass wall that surrounds the main entrance vestibule leading to the grand commons. "When back- lit at night it really contributes to the sense of grandeur," he says, adding that glass isn't an effective sound bar- rier, so special attention had to be paid to assemblies. "In some areas the glass is two inches thick," he explains. Graham was also tasked with constructing a new home for New Westminster School's maintenance and IT departments. Although Crowe notes that the con- struction process was "the equivalent of building five regular schools simultane- ously," the New Westminster Secondary School earned rave reviews when it wel- comed new students in January. Hachlaf says, "After years of planning, consul- tation, design, and construction, we finally have a new school to match our revised and modern curriculum. The physical spaces alone foster collabora- tion and creativity, and we couldn't be happier with the outcome." A R EN D ER I N GS CO U RT E SY K M B R A RC H I T EC T S P L A N N ER S I N C . 11:33 AM 10:31 AM Sound Advice. Service you can depend on. SERVING THE ARCHITECTURAL OPENINGS INDUSTRY SINCE 1957 Hollow Metal Frames and Doors • Wood Doors • Hardware Automatic Operators • Security Innovations • Lockers • Toilet Partitions Washroom Accessories • Antimicrobial and Touch-Free Solutions LOCATIONS IN 12 CITIES IN CANADA 800-230-5516 • WWW.ALLMAR.COM • INFO@ALLMAR.COM Now relocated with A&H Steel Vancouver in Maple Ridge 27222 Lougheed Hwy, Maple Ridge, BC 604-464-9111 www.whitewaterconcrete.com When Quality is a necessity, Accuracy critical, And a schedule absolutely essential. Chances are it's us on your project. Purveyors of the finest Concrete Formwork and now, Rebar as well. WhiteWater Concrete.indd 1 2021-03-16 5:25