Award

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | 61 Bison Run School P H OTO G R A P H Y BY L I N DSAY R EI D/CO U RT E S Y P R A I R I E A RC H I T EC T S I N C . BISON RUN SCHOOL by NATALIE BRUCKNER T he Waverley West neighbour- hood in southwest Winnipeg is one of the city's most rapidly growing areas, and so it stands to rea- son that when Bison Run School opened in January of this year, the community welcomed it with open arms. The school is also part of the Manitoba government's commit- ment to building 20 new schools in 10 years. "Studies have shown that Waverley West is expected to become the size of Brandon. This new school will help alleviate pressures on other Kindergarten to Grade 8 schools in Waverley West. While we still need to transport students into neighbouring schools, that impact has been mitigated by the opening of Bison Run School," explains Lisa Boles, superintendent and CEO of Pembina Trails School Division. This state-of-the-art, two-storey facility spans 81,400 square feet and is situated on a 25-acre parcel. It is more than just a school, it's a commu- nity hub designed to foster the holistic development of 800 children from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Additionally, it is part of a community campus for Waverley West, with the construction of Pembina Trails Collegiate adjacent to Bison Run currently nearing completion. Construction of the project began in August 2021, and as is often the case with projects in the region, the site posed a few more challenges than antic- ipated due to soil conditions. "It was a greenfield site and presented issues such as floods during the foundation stage. However, with strategic dewa- tering and silt replacement, the team successfully prepared the site for the foundation," says Steven SaperSilver, project manager at Bird Construction. For the building's design, it was a true community project, with input sought from community members, staff, and students. "Bison Run School was an appealing project to us as it allowed us to design a building and site that would support the physical and psychological health and well-being of children; foster a sense of belong- ing and community-building; and flex our creative muscles with flexible and multi-use spaces that together become more than the sum of their parts," explains Lindsay Oster, principal architect at Prairie Architects Inc. The exterior design is both simple yet striking, combining metal clad- ding, glazing, and quarried stone. "A lot of thought and effort was given to the materiality of the school, right down to the Tyndall stone and the location of the visible fossils on the wall," says SaperSilver. "The exte- rior materials create an aesthetically pleasing and resilient structure." Bison Run School features two entrances: one on the north side, off the bus loop; another on the south side near the parking lot. "The architects strategically used red brick to guide attention toward the entrances. This red element continues into the build- ing and is drawn into the library on the north side, culminating in a fea- ture wall with glass," explains Boles. Oster emphasizes that both the north and south entries lead occupants to the heart of the building – the inter- connected, two-storey entry commons that is flooded with natural daylight. The abundance of natural light stream- ing into the building brings it to life. "We wanted a bright and welcoming atmosphere, considering the school's pivotal role as a central point in a brand-new community," says Boles. Furthermore, as the first build- ing on the site, it was crucial to account for student and staff interac- tion not only during school hours but also after school, as Oster explains: "Increasingly, schools are expected to operate as community hubs, pre- senting an incredible opportunity to design with after-hours and flexible use in mind." Consequently, the central core of Bison Run School is purposefully designed to serve as a self-sufficient community space. "Through a large operable wall, the commons can be completely opened into the multi- purpose room, which doubles as a performance space for the gymnasium. With this and other critical adjacen- cies to the kitchenette, washrooms, library, and the before-and after-school childcare spaces, the central core of the building serves as a student and community hub for the Waverley West neighbourhood," says Oster. The school's commitment to creat- ing inclusive and engaging spaces goes beyond classrooms, incorporating sound field spaces. "While we place a significant focus on lighting, and there's ample natural light streaming into the building, I can't emphasize enough the importance of the sound field system. Our Board supported the integration of sound field spaces in all areas, not just larger spaces mandated by code requirements. It might seem like a minor detail, but its impact is significant, ensuring that everyone can feel engaged and hear," says Boles. Boles also underscores the exten- sive community engagement, with a special focus on incorporating Indigenous elements. The school actively embraces Indigenous ways of knowing, collaborating with a team of Indigenous student success teach- ers who work alongside educators to infuse these essential principles into the learning environment. Despite facing an aggressive sched- ule, the project was completed on time and on budget – a remarkable achieve- ment acknowledged by SaperSilver. He credits the hard work of the entire team, including Emily Foidart, Bird Construction's project manager who worked on the project and incidentally welcomed a new life into the world on the day of substantial completion. What truly set this project apart was the simultaneous construction of Pembina Trails Collegiate on the same site. This involved different architects and general contractors, making it a rather atypical situation. However, it operated seamlessly, thanks to the dedicated teams involved. "We are extremely proud to have been a part of a project that had so many moving parts during the design stages. This project came with many challenges, largely stemming from the fact that it was designed and mostly constructed before the surround- ing area has been fully built up. The ongoing and extensive collaboration with the design teams and representa- tives for the neighbouring high school and future community centre, the neighbourhood developer, the City of Winnipeg area councillor, and our cli- ent, Pembina Trails School Division and the Government of Manitoba, makes this school especially unique for us and is an accomplishment we are quite proud of," says Oster. A LOCATION 60 Frontier Trail, Winnipeg, Manitoba OWNER DEVELOPER Pembina Trails School Division ARCHITECT Prairie Architects I nc. GENER AL CONTR ACTOR Bird Construction STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT Wolfram Engineering Ltd. MECHANICAL /ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT SMS Engineering CIVIL CONSULTANT WSP L ANDSCAPE ARCHITECT HTFC Planning & Design TOTAL SIZE 81,400 square feet TOTAL COST 29.9 million

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