Award

84 | J U N E 2 0 2 4 David Lloyd George Elementary and City of Vancouver Child Care P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E S Y VA N CO U V ER S C H O O L B OA R D DAVID LLOYD GEORGE ELEMENTARY AND CITY OF VANCOUVER CHILD CARE by CHRISTINA MORRISSEY D avid Lloyd George Elementary has become a landmark in the Marpole neighbourhood of Vancouver. The original brick school was built in 1921 and a two- storey wing with a gymnasium was added in 1954. Today, however, a new chapter unfolds as the brand- new two-storey David Lloyd George Elementary School emerges, embody- ing modernity, accessibility, and safety at its core, with the capacity to accommodate 440 students from Kindergarten to Grade 7. The facility will be gifted a new indigenous name, honouring the unceded lands of the Musqueam Nation on which it stands. Designed with a keen focus on energy efficiency, this building boasts a seamless blend of function- ality and sustainability. Amidst its innovative features lies a dynamic learning commons, fostering col- laboration and group work among students and teachers alike. Moreover, the school's transforma- tion extends beyond its walls with the addition of a Neighbourhood Learning Center space, tailored to meet the needs of both the school community and the surrounding neighbourhood. "The David Lloyd George Elementary replacement school project was part of the Ministry of Education and Child Care's [MECC] Seismic Mitigation Program and is the latest school project completed by the Vancouver School Board [VSB]," explains Ajaz Hasan, director of the Vancouver Project Office (VPO) at the VSB. "The replacement option was determined to be the most cost-effec- tive approach compared to upgrading the original school buildings." During schematic design, archi- tects hcma held an envisioning workshop with stakeholder groups including teachers, resource staff, and childcare providers to determine the vision and character of the new school. Kent Grier, VPO project manager for the project explains: "Architects hcma guided the stakeholders through a series of gaming sessions, one of which involved arranging cut-out shapes representing different functional spaces on the site plan. These sessions directly influenced the design of the new school, creating a sense of owner- ship within the school community." This led to an inspired concept fea- turing a central 'heart' or hub area that links the gymnasium, the library, and the main administration office at the core of the school. Classrooms and resource rooms are situated to the west, while gymnasiums and multipurpose rooms are located to the east. These spaces are intercon- nected along a central corridor. Architects hcma also connected the lower level of the hub to the second level with an open interior stair and a two-storey atrium space filled with natural daylight. "Interior glazing allows views from the administra- tion area into the gymnasium and the library. The central heart naturally serves as a hub of interconnectiv- ity as students move through the building on their way to and from the gym or the library," explains Grier. Other design features include generous proportions for the win- dows in the classrooms, allowing ample daylight into the interior spaces and providing views out of each classroom. The design team also incorporated 21st-century learn- ing principles by creating student commons between groups of four classrooms interconnected along the main corridor. Interior glazing from the classrooms into the com- mons allows views of activities that might be held in the commons. Additionally, operable folding walls were used to open classrooms to each other and to the common area, facili- tating team teaching opportunities. The City of Vancouver (COV) part- nered with the VSB to construct a child care facility atop the two-sto- rey school. The new child care space is built with a steel structure, span- ning 11,641 square feet and providing 69 spaces for children from infant to preschool age. It features rooftop outdoor play areas offering views of Mount Baker and airplanes arriving and departing from the Y VR air- port. The child care facility opened on April 2, 2024, marking the fourth project where the COV collaborated

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