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Mulgrave Senior School Addition by Christina Morrissey images courtesy cei architecture Planning interiors F rom its humble beginnings in 1993 as an independent, non-denomi- national school in West Vancouver, Mulgrave School has grown exponen- tially, both in size and reputation. Nestled at the foothills of Cypress Mountain on the North Shore, the three- storey School has recently undergone its latest expansion with the new two- storey Senior School addition as part of its 26-year campus plan. The new academic addition, which is set forward and sits one-level lower than the existing main school, sees 39,000 square feet added to the south of the current school. Its location on a steep site allows for a new 7,000-square-foot two-storey lobby, new kitchen and caf- eteria to tie into the existing lobby, with panoramic views of downtown Vancou- ver and Burrard Inlet. From the outside, the addition forms a one-storey base or "plinth" that blends seamlessly in with the original school. Its gentle arcing profile complements the natural landscape and the use of sim- ple limestone massing of buff-coloured sedimentary stone helps strengthen the traditional red brick architecture rather than competing with it. "It was important to tie into the expression of the original red brick school house while respecting the over- all topography of the North Shore and the views to the South," explains Mark Koropecky, architect at CEI Architecture Planning Interiors. Three crossbow trusses support the cross-laminated timber roof, with the smaller spanning truss at the north end of the school located where the snow load is greatest. The team at Read Jones Christoffer- sen, the structural consultant on the project, worked closely with CEI to come up with this solution to ensure the choice of material was both functional and elegant. "The most exciting structural engineering challenge was the develop- ment of the arched wood trusses in the main entrance to the building," explains Meredith Anderson, structural engineer at Read Jones Christoffersen. To lighten up the expression of the main senior school massing, CEI looked at the patterning of the fenestration. "We created a series of glazed blocks that pop out from the limestone base and reach out into the world, much like the student will," adds Koropecky. The 1,700-square-foot main entrance canopy provides a counter curve to the overall school massing. The canopy is supported by steel and glulam V-col- umns, which work in harmony with the curved design and tie in with the natural surroundings. Enter into the building and you are struck by the gathering stair that stretches up the middle of the lobby. "Tensioned fabric is suspended from the ceiling that acts as a series of acous- tic panels, while uplighting creates a massive light reflector on the ceiling," explains Koropecky. Natural light also streams into the building through large organically shaped skylights that incorporate a fresh air release system. To improve the over- all energy performance of the building, mechanical consultant Sterling Cooper Consultants and electrical consultant Jarvis Engineering Consultants, looked to reduce energ y consumption and associated costs while providing long- term operational efficiencies, reduced maintenance and retrofitting costs, and improve overall user comfort. "Natural ventilation is being pro- vided for the new school by stack effect," explains George Steeves, principal at Sterling Cooper Consultants Inc. "A com- bination of teardrop-shaped skylights combined with lower level outside air intake louvres enable the use of out- side air for 'real' free-cooling, so no fan power is needed." The new addition also features a 150- stall underground parking structure below the main arrival plaza, which also provides a second level drop-off with both stair and elevator access to the lobby and senior school. An expansive green roof over the Senior School acts as an outdoor class- room. "The green roof increases the amount of accessible landscaped area on the property by over three quar- ters of an acre and provides an out- door classroom, an amphitheatre and both active and passive areas for stu- dents," explains project manager Terry Partington, president of Partington Real Estate Advisors Ltd. "From the very beginning, Mul- grave has looked for ways to incorpo- rate teaching opportunities into every aspect of the school, and the land- scape was no exception." adds Patricia Campbell from PMG Landscape Archi- tects, who has been a part of the design team at Mulgrave from the original construction in 1999. Campbell and Cam Woodruff worked to design a landscape that knits the School's 21st century pedagogy model w it h PMG's v iews on sust ainable landscape design. n Location 2330 Cypress Bowl Lane, West Vancouver, B.C. owner/DeveLoper Mulgrave Independent School Society project ManageMent Partington Real Estate Advisors Ltd. construction ManageMent Scott Construction Group architect CEI Architecture Planning Interiors structuraL consuLtant Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. MechanicaL consuLtant Sterling Cooper Consultants Inc. eLectricaL consuLtant Jarvis Engineering Consultants enveLope consuLtant Morrison Hershfield geotechnicaL consuLtant GeoPacific Consultants Ltd. civiL engineers Creus Engineers Ltd. LanDscape architect PMG Landscape Architects totaL area 46,000 square feet totaL project cost $23.5 million december 2014 /63 mulgrave Senior School Addition