Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/177525
COURTESY CONSEIL SCOLAIRE FRANCOPHONE DE LA C.-B. École au Coeur-de-l'île by Jessica Kirby cole au Coeur-de-l'île has taken the traditional learning model and the typical design parameters associated with it in a new direction. Set against a forested backdrop and among neighbouring agricultural properties, the two-level, 48,222-square-foot building with LEED Gold objectives meets the community and site on an agreeable level. Jesse Garlick, project architect with McFarland Marceau Architects Ltd. says the school's esthetic was born from the objective of creating a model learning environment. Because the building houses kindergarten to Grade12 classes, one of the irst planning moves was to divide the wings. "The areas are broken into blocks or components that run along a main east-to-west spine," says Garlick. Separated and self-suf icient are the elementary grades, secondary classrooms, gym and theatre, and administration, preschool and library. Connecting the blocks is a glulam roof structure that appears to hover above the blocks like a single form. The 100 per cent FSC-certi ied decking slabs are open-edge, 3.5-by-24inch planes that allow the provision of four-metre spans. Eric Karsh, structural engineer with Equilibrium Consulting, says the decking is almost furniture-like with no visible steel elements. "It is connected using the proprietary Sherpa system where aluminum dovetails are connected to the beam in shop and the pieces dropped in on site," he says. The corridor features curtainwall supported by threeby-12 wood joists salvaged from the previous building. "It is É a beautiful wood and married with the new glulam creates a nice texture and palette," says Garlick. "It is also used to support the wall of window in the gym, which is north-facing. There is no solar gain or glare." The classrooms are lexible spaces divided by moveable partitions and out itted for wireless technology. "Highperformance classrooms focus on acoustics, daylight and inishes, and the design emphasizes the connection to the outdoors," says Sylvain Allison, secretary treasurer of School District 93 and overseer of the district's capital projects. The design departs from the boxstyle classroom, carving out smallerscale places inished with solid wood that are used as reading alcoves and project rooms. The expression of these spaces on the exterior is of coloured boxes that poke out of and recreate the building's shape. Two oversized staircases on the south exterior side of the building provide entrances and exits, and act as terraced seating to accommodate outdoor lessons. The building's size was such that it required non-combustible construction. The challenge of an all-concrete exposed block structure was creating a clean inish on a material that is usually hidden as a structural element. "The concrete wall system relied on the introduction of wood inishes, colour and light to keep the harder materials less obvious," says Garlick. Brian Wasylyk, project manager with Ketza Paci ic Construction Ltd. says the nuances of putting services within the exposed block system were challenging. It required the conduit and plumbing be installed simultaneously with the wall's erection, completing short sections at a time. The building's open and exposed spaces made it tricky to hide the electrical services, says Charlie Yao, project designer with electrical engineer MMM Group. "The main corridor in is a large, glass-walled atrium where it was impossible to run concealed services across or above the roof," he says. "Instead, we ran our raceways underground and consolidated their paths resulting in the school being served in quadrants." The lighting uses direct/indirect suspended luminaires to highlight the wood structure, and minimalistic luminaires in highlighted areas so as not to detract from the architecture. Daylight harvesting was achieved via the glass atrium and clerestories. "The of ices near the entrance use eight-foot-long pendants to give the appearance of a lower ceiling," says Yao. "We also used architectural strip lights in the atrium with thin bodies to minimize the visual impact on Peter R. Zeller Zelco Painting Ltd. Office: 604-574-0621 | Fax: 604-574-0695 zelcopainting.ca | info@zelcopainting.ca Congratulations to Ketza Pacific Construction and School District 39 on the completion of École au Coeur-de-l'île. the ceiling, while providing an even distribution of light to highlight the wood elements and adding daylight sensors where practical." Construction coincided with the city's sixth-rainiest season on record. "By the time we were ready to stand the masonry, it was winter in one of the rainiest winters ever," he says. "We had this inished wood roof framing to do that can't get wet in the winter. That was the biggest challenge." Daniel Chan, project manager with mechanical engineering irm Bycar Engineering says the ventilation is a combination of trickle vents with heating elements and heat recovery ventilators. Working with insulated chilled/heating water lines designed for below-grade installation was tricky, says Chan. "We hadn't worked with this product before. Also, trickle vents were designed and coordinated into the millwork requiring coordination to ensure adequate access and effectiveness." "As people realized was not a normal build, that it was something special, everyone came on board and rose to the occasion to put something together that is not a traditional school," says Garlick. "That pride really came through." ■ LOCATION 566 Linshart Road Comox, B.C. OWNER Conseil scolaire francophone (School District 93) PROJECT MANAGER Bonnefoy Business Management ARCHITECT McFarland Marceau Architects Ltd. GENERAL CONTRACTOR Ketza Pacific Construction Ltd. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Equilibrium Consulting MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Bycar Engineering ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT MMM Group Ltd. TOTAL AREA 48,222 square feet TOTAL CONSTRUCTION BUDGET $14.4 million Professional Pavement Markings Since 1994 Phone: 250-741-4668 Email: finelinemarking@shaw.ca www.finelinemarking.com We are proud to be the painting contractors on this project. 86/ FEBRUARY 2012 p.86-87Coeur de Li le_Bow Valley.indd 86 École au Coeur-de-l'île 1/23/12 10:55:37 AM