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Cardston Elementary School Modernization by Jessica Krippendorf courtesy Ferrari WestWood BaBits architects W hen it was constructed in 1970, Cardston Elementary School was revolutionary in its purpose and design. Created to encompass the idea of open, connected and unified educa- tion, the 6,728-square-metre building was constructed into three circular pods, each architecturally defined with 18 teaching areas, but conceptually open and without walls. As time passed and educational and design requirements shifted, users of Cardston Elementary indicated a greater need for privacy and sound con- trol between the spaces, accessibility for all students and a structure that helped staff meet evolving safety needs. Ken Sommerfeldt, superintendent of schools for Westwind School Divi- sion #74 says the building's design was visionary for the day. "The theory was great, but they almost weren't ready for it at the time," says Sommerfeldt. "Sooner or later they started dividing the spaces with chalkboards on wheels and requesting temporary walls, and over the years the school became a patchwork of walls." T he open concept a l so c r e - ated a safety concern – how to lock down a school without walls? It also challenged the mechanical system, because the air exchanger wasn't able to function correctly. "This, combined with a number of different elevations, led to concerns about items ranging from student safety and accommodation, making this building the capital project we would have to pursue," says Sommerfeldt. The original structure was arranged over seven different elevations, each of which was accessible only by stairs. This posed accessibility challenges for students and community members with varying physical needs. "In the 21st century we require an inclusive environment for students of all abilities," explains Sommerfeldt. To address the problem, the middle of the three circular pods was demolished and in its place, the design called for a central gathering space that employs generous glazing, a welcoming palette and an innovative, connected design to bring students and staff together in a multiplicity of ways. This was a part of the modernization that required the design team to meet the challenge of working successfully within the existing, historical context of the building. "The intention was to create the heart of the space in the central area of the school," says Daniel Westwood, principal with Ferrari West- wood Babits Architects. The new f loorprint modernizes the west and east instructional pods, defining them into a series of indi- vidual spaces, and connecting them with the central gathering space that is accessible via the library, admin- istrative offices, a gymnasium and a servery that acts like a lunchroom. Generous overheight and moveable glazing partitions the space while main- taining visual flow through and coales- cence of the student body. "The g ym has a large crushed space that is also part of the gathering space, and major support spaces," says Westwood. This high-volume common area receives dramatic natural light that cascades through large glass doors into adjacent spaces, and is defined by abundant clerestory glazing and a dra- matic sloping and curved roof detail, made with an acoustic material. "Now we have a space with two levels and a lift," adds Sommerfeldt. "Students and the public enter on the ground level and can easily access every space." The usable circular pods were sectioned with ample space and flow into pie-shaped rooms. On the exterior, the existing brick was complemented with stucco and metal fascia painted a blue colour referenced elsewhere in the community. W hile t he building 's st r uc t ure was and is stable – "phenomenal," in Sommerfeldt's words – a key challenge was bringing natural light into the spaces. "Architecturally, they raised the roof over one area that brought light into the larger parts of the school," he says. The new ventilation system offers displacement air t hroughout t he building. To accommodate the intense natural light penetration, screening has been installed on the south elevations to mitigate solar gain. The design tributes the school's sig- nificantly high First Nations population with a tepee structure that takes advan- tage of the school's original architec- ture. The conical structure is positioned over the west side pod creating a raised ceiling over the learning space, and also flooding this area with natural light. W hile constructing the g ymna- sium, crews had to drill piles on the foundation and came across a water table they weren't expecting, which challenged the schedule. In a clever solution to relocate the school's 300 students, the school district acquired access through the Alberta Health Services to a nursing home, where maintenance crews set up three temporary classrooms. "It all came together well," says Sommerfeldt. "On a structure of this magnitude you are continually problem solving." Overall, the design team was pleased with the building's turnout, especially the central gathering space. "There has been a transformation in the build- ing," says Sommerfeldt. "At the gath- ering space the library opens up, a glass wall between the gathering area and the gymnasium can be removed, and a commercial kitchen opens onto the space. In addition, a hydraulic stage in the gymnasium can be lowered from the wall making it usable for multiple event types." Sommerfeldt adds that the structure of the building in 1970 was architectur- ally ahead of its time: "Working with the existing structure, the architectural team demonstrated its progressive skill set for designing schools that meet edu- cational needs and are pleasant to expe- rience for the public." The $16-million modernization was funded through infrastructure dollars provided by the Alberta government to address critical deficits in school infrastructure. The mandate was to provide bright, welcoming spaces, equipped with the latest technology, and designed to adapt to changing edu- cational needs. "When you start with a great building to begin with, the end product in a modernization is excep- tional," says Sommerfeldt. The value management and design phase began in October, 2010, followed by a two-year build. The general con- tractor turned over a large portion of the school at the end of October and classes were in session in mid-November. n Location 730 – 4th Avenue West, Cardston, Alberta owner/DeveLoper Westwind School Division #74 architect Ferrari Westwood Babits Architects GeneraL contractor Ward Bros. Construction Ltd. StructuraL conSuLtant Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. MechanicaL conSuLtant Hidi Rae Consulting Engineers eLectricaL conSuLtant SMP Consulting Eng. Size 6,728 square metres totaL coSt $16 million december 2014 /71 cardston elementary School modernization