Award

92 | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 2 Ben Calf Robe – St. Clare Catholic Elementary/Junior High School R EN D ER I N GS CO U RT E S Y B R 2 A RC H I T EC T U R E BEN CALF ROBE – ST. CLARE CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY/JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL by PETER STENNING A s it prepares for a fall open- ing, the new Ben Calf Robe – St. Clare Catholic Elementary/ Junior High School in Edmonton not only ensures that the region's Indigenous students will learn in a modern and healthy environment, but the facility (which is a replace- ment project) represents a significant advancement in the design of a build- ing focused on First Nations teaching. The new Kindergarten to Grade 9 facility honours First Nations, Métis, and Inuit culture (90 percent of the school's enrollees are from the groups) and is regarded as a big win for staff, students, and the community. Back in 2017, the provincial gov- ernment approved an $18.2-million modernization for the original Ben Calf building, constructed in the late 1940s and expanded in 1972. However, after the Edmonton Catholic School Division (ECSD) undertook detailed plans it was determined that renovat- ing the building could take as long as five years and require more money for modular classrooms. The District asked the province for $6 million more to build a replacement school adjacent to the original, and the project – which would increase capacity from 478 to 700 students – received the go-ahead in September of 2018. BR2 Architecture has enjoyed a long history of collaboration with the District, having designed the St. Thomas Aquinas, Christ the King, and Corpus Christi K-9 schools in addition to many other schools in the region. Each were developed as two-storey facilities to maximize efficiency and allow appropriate separation of grade structure based on division, with an emphasis on 21st-Century teach- ing-style open learning commons, multipurpose programming areas, and visually accessible gymnasiums. Steve Bushnell, principal at BR2, points out that "the 21st-Century learn- ing designs very much complement the style of First Nations teachings, and so for Ben Calf Robe we and stake- holders, which included Elders, talked the same language – no need for us to sell the learning concept." The design emphasized outdoor connections on the first floor and patios and rooftop access on the sec- ond. Classes were grouped around a double-height commons area and sep- arated by eight-foot glass doors, and the commons area was augmented by a multifunction staircase. Early on, BR2 and the stakeholders decided to eschew any overt aboriginal design elements and go for a subtler, timeless appearance. "So, for exam- ple, we used a circular form for the entrance, akin to a drum, and added cyrillics," Bushnell says. "The circular form was continued inside in the cul- tural space near the commons, rising to a glazed conical form and exposing the second level of the school." Colours also played an important role in infusing the building with aboriginal ambiance. "Sage, sweet grass – many subtle colours of nature were selected," Bushnell says. Delnor Construction Ltd. broke ground on site in the fall of 2020, and while this was at the height of the COVID lockdowns, the company acquired a house in the neighbour- hood to stage scaled-down meetings safely. "They also handled supply LOCATION 11833 64 Street, NW Edmonton, Alberta OWNER /DEVELOPER Edmonton Catholic School Division ARCHITECT BR2 Architecture CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Delnor Construction Ltd. STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT Protostatix Engineering Consultants Inc. MECHANICAL CONSULTANT D.A. Fox Engineering Ltd. ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT MCW Consultants Ltd. TOTAL SIZE 6936.6 square metres TOTAL COST $25.7 million chain issues extremely well and ensured the safety of the students at the adjacent school, which remained operational," Bushnell says. Jade Sawchuk, project manager for the ECSD, says, "One of the biggest challenges was site constriction. There were no laydown areas, so materials were stored within the school foot- print as it took shape." When asked about materials short- ages and delivery delays due to the lockdowns, Sawchuk replies: "Put it this way, I've never seen anything remotely like it – but we coped." Kaylan Austring, Delnor princi- pal and team lead, says, "The success of this project is due in large part to the collaborative efforts of the school board, BR2, and the project's stake- holders. From shop drawings to turnover, everyone understood the objectives of this project would only be achieved if we worked together. Sawchuk agrees, adding, "It will be exciting when students settle into the new school this fall. The building is very warm and welcoming, and now that it's set back from the street it has a sub- stantially greater curb appeal than the original building, and this will be fur- ther enhanced with a new playfield and basketball court next spring. In addi- tion, the new school is very community driven. The project is a total success." A

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