Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/177525
Revelstoke Secondary School by Laurie Jones hen a high school is designed to take advantage of spectacular views of six surrounding mountains, one can expect the interior to be equally as stunning. Such is the case for the newly opened Revelstoke Secondary School. Located in the central social hub of the city – with the curling rink and hockey arena steps away – the threestorey, LEED-Gold-targeted school is truly a collaborative project with input from the community on all design details. After the provincial government in B.C. agreed to allocate funds for Revelstoke's education system, two new schools were built on the existing site, replacing structures that were both over 40 years old. On the grand opening day of the Revelstoke Secondary School in November 2011, dignitaries from many levels of government were on hand for the ribbon cutting. "This beautiful school has been an exceptional partnership between the school district, the province and the City of Revelstoke," says Hon. George Abbott, B.C. Minister of Education. "This will be a partnership that will extend many years into the future." The current population of the school is 450 students, although it is built to accommodate 500. Superintendent of schools, Anne Cooper acknowledges the team effort from all involved. "The work that Dialog architects and contractors at Graham Design Build did to bring such a beautiful and functional facility to our community is simply breathtaking." She adds the design was to be an integral interface for the community parkland immediately adjacent to the school. Wood products are featured throughout the school, creating a warm, inviting environment. "The roof decking is PHOTOS COURTESY DIALOG W made from local ir trees brought in from the Akolkolex Valley, 20 miles south of Revelstoke. Selkirk Specialty Wood milled the wood to the speci ications Dialog had requested, and the inished product was delivered 200 yards to the site by forklift. That inished wood never saw a truck," says Cooper. The school is set on a sloping terrain where the entrance is at street level, with one loor up and another loor down. An abundance of glazing ensures natural light is available in most areas. "This building is energy ef icient to the maximum level," says Cooper. "An example of this is the T-5 illumination throughout, which is the best luorescent lighting available for energy saving." Another unique aspect of this school is its use of the Revelstoke Community Energy Corporation's heat production. "The local mill has a special kiln that produces energy for most of the City of Revelstoke," says Alan Boniface, principal architect with Dialog. "We managed to hook the school up to that source, which is only 600 yards away. Waste wood is used as fuel to create hot water, which in turn is brought to the school's mechanical room via pipes. We have a renewable, very ef icient source of energy." A signi icant architectural commitment was to use smaller local companies for alternative wood products. "The folks at Revelstoke Secondary School p.74-77Revelstoke School.indd 75 Elevations built all of the ir inlaid seating in the major spaces," says Cooper. "Another local company, Take to Heart, milled the cladding that surrounds the three-storey steel columns at the entranceway." A quietly unique feature is its customized birch locker doors, provided by Lortap Enterprises Ltd. "These details are what contributes to a school that feels warmer; locker doors that are signi icantly quieter – no more slamming metal doors. It is a reminder to the students that there are natural products that can create a healthy and attractive environment." Building new on the existing site of the old facility proved challenging. "The logistics of building these two schools – with the existing elementary school located between the two new schools – was very tight," says Ramsay Brunton, project manager for Graham Design FEBRUARY 2012 /75 1/23/12 10:45:00 AM