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PEXSISEN Elementary School Centre Mountain Lellum Middle School 76 | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2 PEXSISEN Elementary School & Centre Mountain Lellum Middle School R EN D ER I N GS CO U RT E S Y H C M A PEXSISEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL & CENTRE MOUNTAIN LELLUM MIDDLE SCHOOL by LAURIE JONES A s the southern Vancouver Island region on B.C.'s coast continues to grow, so does its need of schools for all ages. The latest additions to the education sys- tem for Sooke School District are the PEXSISEN Elementary School and Centre Mountain Lellum Middle School, located in the Westhills neigh- bourhood of Langford, and slated to open in September 2022. PEXSISEN is a Lekwungen and SENCOTEN word gifted to the District by Songhees First Nation, which means "the opening of hands" or "to have one's hands wide open" and Lellum was gifted to the District by Sc'ianew Nation (Beecher Bay) and carries the meaning of house and the idea of com- munity, where we raise our children. "These schools are gorgeous," says Alex Samousevitch, manager, plan- ning and construction – major capital projects at Sooke School District. "PEXSISEN Elementary can accom- modate an enrolment of up to 500 in the two-storey school, and it has been designed to provide significant natural light for the students. Each classroom has windows facing beautiful scenery, including a large grass playing field." A portion of the PEXSISEN build- ing has been dedicated to the Neighbourhood Learning Centre, providing before- and after-school daycare for approximately 50 students. In keeping with the west-coast theme, Samousevitch says wood has been incorporated into the design. "Several spaces include wood finishes that provide warmth, and the land- scaping with gardens and green space adds interest to the exterior. When we levelled a portion of mountain for con- struction, we saw colours that were incorporated into the interior design." The three-storey Centre Mountain Lellum Middle School can accom- modate 700 students, and with its placement on the side of a hill, grade- level access from levels one and two is available with both schools. "Accessibility was important in the design, so to ensure this, gently sloped sidewalks are available across the site so that those with mobility issues don't have to rely solely on elevators, ramps, and stairs. The wide hallways have extra areas built in for project space and seating for students to hang out." For equity, the schools also have gen- der-neutral washrooms throughout. Samousevitch adds that the outdoor area is different for the middle school in that the playing field features turf. "We worked closely with the City of Langford, who contributed funds to upgrade to turf from grass." Rance Mok, architect with hcma, says the design of the schools takes inspiration from the dramatic rocky landscape. The amphitheatre area has built-in, landscaped stairs that flow from the middle school. "There is a shared green play area, and a dry creek bed separates the two schools, which helps teachers for supervision during recess and lunch." Mok notes because B.C. has a rain- forest climate, it's necessary for kids to have a covered play space. "That's why we created the cantilever with large soffits where students can take part in before- or after-school activities and not be hindered by weather. The design of the schools fosters indoor/ outdoor learning spaces and the land- scape acts as an outdoor classroom." Unique, angled bay windows in the design give the solar and heat benefits of a north/south orientation but keeps the primary view of Langford Lake and the mountains towards the east. The targeted LEED Gold certifi- cation project features solar panels to provide five percent of the annual energy usage for the schools. "We also installed a geothermal system on site that will extract heat from under each playing field," says Samousevitch. "This system provides effective, low- cost heating for the schools, and ample cooling capacity." Centralized systems in a separate plant on site manage the heating for both schools. Mok says the school district has a strong relationship with the com- munities, so multi-use partnerships will benefit all the families in the Langford and Westhills area. "By hosting sports fields, playgrounds, and amenities servicing the commu- nity, the goal is to become a central hub of activity in the area." A LOCATION 3100 Constellation Ave. and 3090 Constellation Ave., Sooke, B.C. OWNER /DEVELOPER Sooke School District ARCHITECT hcma GENER AL CONTR ACTOR Farmer Construction Ltd. STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT Herold Engineering MECHANICAL CONSULTANT SMcN Consulting Inc. ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT AES Engineering CIVIL CONSULTANT On Point Project Engineers L ANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Associated Engineering BUILDING CODE CONSULTANT Celerity Engineering Limited TOTAL SIZE 45,200 square feet (Elementary school); 68,300 square feet (Middle School) TOTAL COST $89 million

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