Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1385297
J U N E 2 0 2 1 | 89 Nisichawayasihk Neyo Ohtinwak Collegiate R EN D ER I N GS CO U RT E SY N U M B ER T EN A RC H I T EC T U R A L G RO U P NISICHAWAYASIHK NEYO OHTINWAK COLLEGIATE by ROBIN BRUNET I n the summer of 2017, Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN) embarked on an $82-million ven- ture to develop a new community plan for the 4,600-member community. At the heart of this plan was a clear vision to support the growth and education of the next generation of NCN citizens. In addition to a new water treatment plant and health centre facility, NCN decided to replace its Nisichawayasihk Neyo Ohtinwak Collegiate high school. Following a feasibility study led by Stantec, design work began on the new school as well as an elementary school, with the high school proceeding first. Nic Campbell, the high school's princi- pal, says, "Our old school was 14 trailers put together and in rough shape, but the new school would feature learn- ing and administrative space for 320 students and 30 staff members, an auto shop, a cosmetology department, a home economics department, and many other elements." Christina Legris, partner and edu- cational & recreational studio lead at Number TEN Architectural Group, says, "We consulted extensively with com- munity members and teaching staff in 2019 to ensure the new facility would meet all learning and cultural needs. "The high school contains grades seven through twelve, so it was impor- tant to provide each age group with spaces that were all their own. The school is laid out with three wings that converge at a central hub of shared spaces. The All School Commons, Art, Cree Language and Elder's room lay at the heart of the school, both in plan and programmatically. Each of the classroom wings are grouped around a common flexible learning space. The wings face a central courtyard that, due to the natural topography, steps down into an amphitheatre-style space, perfect for outdoor learning." The courtyard connects directly to the All School Commons, which in turn is connected to the third wing containing additional shared pro- gramming: including the gym, auto shop, woods shop, cosmetology depart- ment, and life skills program. "We designed retractable walls so that the commons, gym, and a multi-purpose room can be used separately but can be opened up for events," says Legris, pointing out that the school acts as a community hub throughout the year. It was important to both the design team and community that compo- nents of the Nisichawayasihk culture were integrated throughout the school. On the exterior of the building look- ing onto the courtyard is an aluminum screen that protects the upper lev- els of glazing. "The screen was water jet cut with a floral motif intertwined with animals," says Legris. "The light streaming through the screen will project these patterns onto the floor of the school throughout the day." The building exterior is enlivened with coloured glazed brick inspired by local patterning, while glulam elements were used extensively in the common spaces to impart warmth. Construction commenced in late 2019 with Penn-Co Construction clearing the forested area in which the new school would be situated. "By the early months of 2020, the site had been cleared and we drove piles, but then COVID-19 hit and, like other projects on First Nations land, we had to leave," says project manager Brett Preun. Campbell adds, "The lock- downs put construction on hold for more than two months." When crews returned in July, heavy rains required them to reform most of the grade beams and some supports. "In some respects it was like starting over, but fortunately the spring melt was slower this year and water on site seeped away naturally, instead of us having to undertake extensive mitiga- tion," says Preun. The steel structure of the school soon took shape, and as of mid-May, the Nisichawayasihk Neyo Ohtinwak Collegiate high school was nearing completion, with all parties confident that it would be ready for occupancy in the fall. "The construction of the elementary school is slated to proceed next, once funding is secured," says Legris. "The elementary school will be located across from the high school, completing the master plan for the site." Campbell adds by way of conclu- sion, "It's been a tight deadline, but we're very pleased with the progress of the project to date. We're also closely monitoring the construction of the water treatment plant, as its function is vital to the new school's operation. "Thanks to community input and the hard work of the architects and builders, we have a beautiful new school that is a substantial asset to Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation." A LOCATION 1A School Drive, Nelson House, Manitoba OWNER /DEVELOPER Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation ARCHITECT Number TEN Architectural Group GENER AL CONTR ACTOR Penn-Co Construction STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT Crosier Kilgour & Partners Ltd. MECHANICAL /ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT SMS Engineering TOTAL SIZE 63,000 square feet TOTAL COST $32 million 11:30 AM