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J U N E 2 0 2 2 | 67 Highlands School Modernization I N T ER I O R P H OTO G R A P H Y BY S E A N S T E WA RT P H OTO G R A P H Y/CO U RT E S Y AC I A RC H I T EC T U R E I N C . HIGHLANDS SCHOOL MODERNIZATION by ROBIN BRUNET M yriad challenges were part and parcel of the K-9 Highlands School moderniza- tion in Edmonton when design on the project began in 2018: in addition to preserving a historic building, one task was to significantly expand the capac- ity of the original school built in 1912. Terri Gosine, director, integrated infrastructure services at Edmonton Public Schools, explains, "It was an ambitious project in that we continued a policy of infrastructure efficiency by closing two schools in the neighbour- hood and expanding Highlands so that it would accommodate 800 students." Gosine adds, "Minimal changes were planned for the original struc- ture and layout, and heritage features were retained wherever possible." The project consisted of a mod- ernization to the main and second floors of the original building (with a complete mechanical and electrical services upgrade) and demolition of a 1954 addition, replaced with a new two-storey facility and gymnasium. The demolition would occur while the original facility was still in use, and then halfway through the project the students would be moved into the new portion of the school while work com- menced on the 1912 building. Eddo Cancian, principal at ACI Architecture Inc., points out that the new portion of the school accommo- dated the desired student capacity within a relatively small footprint. "We designed the new building to connect to the original by way of strategically placed stairs and ramps to overcome height differ- entials," he says. "A new elevator was incorporated into the design to meet accessibility requirements." The original gym – which was small, with pillars in the middle – was repurposed as theatre space. "The space became much more effec- tive, and its bank of three windows that originally faced the outside now face the interior of the new addition," Cancian says. "A new feature stair- case flanked by switchback ramps not only provided access from the old por- tion of the school to the new, but also served as seating for the theatre as well as informal learning space." Gosine's one regret was that the basement of the 1912 school had to be decommissioned to meet code require- ments. "We eliminated it as student space and moved that function to the new addition," she says. "The basement now mainly contains some mechani- cals plus distribution systems." Aiding the project was that the regal exterior features of the 1912 structure and the interior ornate mar- ble halls were in relatively good shape. Gosine says of the former: "The res- toration consisted mainly of masonry repointing and window replacement, and because the building was such a well-loved part of the neighbourhood, we wanted the architecture of the new addition to retain the look and feel of the 1912 design, with similar pattern- ing, brickwork, and limestone." A great deal of attention was paid to the massing of the old and new structures, in order to highlight the 1912 components and not allow the addition to overwhelm the site. "For example, the new eight-metre-high gym is massive, but we treated the portions closest to street side as 'neg- ative' space by using dark cladding – which contrasted with the brighter masonry components of the school," Cancian says. "To enhance the stag- gered appearance, we also created a lower single-storey drop off point, and a covered rooftop classroom to the south serves the same purpose." The exterior finishes consisted of different wall finishes and curtain wall (func- tioning photovoltaic panels on the roof and south wall of the gym also con- tributed to the visual aesthetic), with clerestories to bring natural light deep into the interior. Bird Construction broke ground on the site in September of 2019; a pile/ grade beam foundation system was built for the addition, followed by a structural steel framework. Working under a construction management model helped the venerable com- pany identify and solve challenges, prompting Cancian to remark, "Bird was great and also prepped for and removed the risks that are inherent in any school project." The revamped Highlands School opened for learning in the fall of 2021, and in the spring of 2022 Gosine expressed ongoing admiration for the results: "The transition from old to new is stunning, and students, staff, and the surrounding neighbourhood have the best of both worlds: a historic building that looks better than ever, and a facility that accommodates 21st Century learning principles." A LOCATION 6015 118 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta OWNER /DEVELOPER Edmonton Public School Board ARCHITECT ACI Architecture Inc. GENER AL CONTR ACTOR Bird Construction STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT RJC Engineers MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Arrow Engineering ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT AECOM Canada Limited L ANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Design North Landscape Architecture Inc. SURVEYING Nichols Environmental (Canada) Ltd. PHOTOVOLTAIC CONSULTANT Howell-Mayhew Engineering Inc. TOTAL SIZE 7,845 square metres TOTAL COST $25 million

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