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FEBRUARY 2015 | 81 Gibsons Elementary School Rebuild RENDERING COURTESY KMBR ARCHITECTS PLANNERS INC. Gibsons Elementary School Rebuild by ROBIN BRUNET F or a small community like Gibsons in B.C., building a new school that not only doubles as a community hub but lives up to LEED Gold standards and maximizes the use of B.C. wood is a note- worthy undertaking. But thanks to design-build contrac- tor Bouygues Building Canada work- ing with KMBR Architects Planners Inc., Glot man• Simpson Consult ing Engineers and other contractors led by a progressively minded school district, the Gibsons Elementary School rebuild has exceeded everyone's expectations. "Frankly, given the caliber of profession- als we had on board, we decided to take a hands off approach to the project and let our team do what they do best," says Nicholas Weswick, secretary-treasurer of School District 46 (Sunshine Coast). Weswick describes the original Gibsons Elementary, a facility built in 1950 that housed 400 staff and students, as a building "that not only had come to the end of its useful life but had serious design drawbacks, first and foremost being a bad flow. For example, there was just one stairwell for the entire facility, and it was located at the end of the build- ing." As a mix of modular units, wood frame, post and beam and unreinforced masonry, the old school was also vulner- able to seismic activity. But despite this and system deficien- cies, District 46 initially opted to keep Gibsons Elementary and invest in a seis- mic upgrade. However, a 2007 feasibil- ity study determined that constructing a smaller, more energy-efficient build- ing would be more cost-effective. "We decided a new school that would house 300 students plus 40 kindergarten level kids would be more than sufficient," says Weswick. In kick-starting a design-build deliv- ery process in 2012 and selecting the key companies to oversee the project, District 46 decided to remain hands-off with regards to design particulars and even timelines. "The timelines were presented to us by the design-build team," says Weswick. "They basically fast-tracked the project – and we had every confidence that they would suc- ceed. As for design, we didn't have any- thing specific in mind, only that it be functional, esthetically pleasing and fulfill life cycle costs." KMBR designed a distinctly mod- ern learning environment laid out over two-storeys. Extending in two direc- tions from the main entrance foyer is a "main street" that, in conjunction with the foyer, forms the social heart of the school and is intended to encourage informal gatherings. KMBR grouped the 12 classrooms in a wing that can be secured from the rest of the school, thus allowing the gym, multi- purpose rooms and neighbourhood learning centre spaces to function after hours without compromising security. Breakout alcoves on both floors lend themselves to table and chair configu- rations suitable for what KMBR calls "watering hole" collaborations, and can be supervised through large inte- rior windows shared with the adja- cent classrooms. In combination with the large second f loor collaboration area beside the library, these informal learning spaces will allow the applica- tion of 21st century learning principles for the life of the school. "We tried to give the architects creative freedom, and it worked out extremely well for us," says Weswick. The design includes a large ter- raced area to accommodate educa- tional programs, community services and recreational requirements; it also includes the capacity for the Strong Start program. The Neighbourhood Learning Centre was designed to include a childcare facility with early childhood development, a health and wellness screening office, community kitchen and a intergenerational multi- purpose room. Overall, extensive glaz- ing would be used to bring natural light into interior spaces; and wood is used extensively for structure and finishes in order to satisfy the standards of the 2009 Wood First Act. Because of the extended use of the facility, a number of on-site and off- site improvements and traffic pattern enhancements were required, includ- ing traffic calming and pedestrian access. Drop-off and pickup areas with shelters separate from the parking area were created, as was an additional boulevard along School Road. Also, an all-weather field was earmarked for redevelopment, and an area of the school site was set aside for an agricul- ture/community garden. District 46 decided to construct the new facility at the Gibsons Elementary site while keeping the original school in operation. "And that's where the chal- lenges began, because the distance between the new building and the old one was as little as two metres in some areas," says Philippe Gesret, operations director of Bouygues Building Canada. Because the ideal location for the new build was on a small hill, extensive earthwork was required to compensate for the differences between the grades of the new and existing facilities. "That lasted a few months longer than antici- pated, so to stay on schedule we over- lapped other tasks," says Gesret. Although actual construction was fairly straightforward, the real challenge was retaining skilled contractors for the job. "The Sunshine Coast is a small region, and we were working with wood, brick, concrete, asphalt – so we wound up hir- ing as many local contractors as possible and augmenting them with specialized contractors from the mainland," says Gesret. Careful co-ordination between them and school principal Deborah Luporini ensured student safety as the new building took shape. Over the summer of 2014, crews per- formed extensive asbestos removal and confinement in the old school, followed by demolition. "Ironically, the teachers' strike worked in the project's favour because every thing was still being moved into the new facility in early September," says Weswick. As of December, most of the landscap- ing and external walks were complete, and the new Gibsons Elementary School had been enthusiastically received by the greater community. "We're a small district without a dedicated building team, so in a sense it was a leap of faith to rely on Bouygues and KMBR to pro- vide us with a beautiful facility," says Weswick. "But they came through, as did all the other trades, and the result is fabulous." A LOCATION 783 School Road, Gibsons, B.C. OWNER/DEVELOPER School District 46 (Sunshine Coast) DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTOR Bouygues Building Canada ARCHITECT KMBR Architects Planners Inc. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Glotman•Simpson Consulting Engineers MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Integral Group ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Smith + Andersen GEOTECH ENGINEER Horizon Engineering CIVIL ENGINEER Vector Engineering Services Ltd. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Maruyama and Associates TOTAL SIZE 4,300 square metres TOTAL COST $14.3 million 10:54 AM 2:22 PM

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