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DECEMBER 2017 | 69 Wilson School of Design – Kwantlen Polytechnic University RENDERINGS COURTESY KWANTLEN POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY Wilson School of Design – Kwantlen Polytechnic University by ROBIN BRUNET B ack in 2010, when Lululemon Athletica owners Chip and Shannon Wilson asked administrators at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Richmond, B.C. – many of whose graduates had been hired by the popular clothing manufacturer – what they would like to see from a new design school on campus, the immediate response was "more space!" Carolyn Robertson, dean of Kwantlen's Wilson School of Design, recalls: "Previously our faculty of design was a real rabbit's warren of a facility, and considering how quickly the apparel industry in Vancouver was evolving, combined with our proximity to international markets, it made sense to develop a new facility that would provide the space to grow, house our advanced technology and inspire our future design talent." The Wilson School of Design, a $36-million partnership between the B.C. government, Kwantlen, the Wilsons and Lululemon, includes teaching studios, testing and prototype laboratories, study spaces, a materials research centre and gallery space. The five-storey building accommodates 681 students. Kwantlen's vision was to create the West Coast's preeminent design school, and as such Robertson notes that extensive consultation was undertaken between architects KPMB, Public and representatives of the seven programs the facility would house. "From there we established principles that guided the architects when design got underway in 2013," she says. The principles included interactive and flexible learning spaces; a focus on optimal acoustic quality; and a balance "between clean and visually rich spaces." "Our idea was to create a very flexible loft, and the flexibility aspect of the project dovetailed with our decision to use a lot of wood in the design," says KPMB partner Bruce Kuwabara. "Of all the building types, the industrial loft is the most flexible due to its open concept, high ceilings and natural light, plus it has always correlated with the artistic community." Kuwabara adds that he also gained inspiration from studying the Central Saint Martins in London, England, a former train station that was repurposed as a mixed- use facility and arts school. Design followed a program that was organized into three zones: a Ground Zone being the main interface with industry and including testing laboratories and an incubator for B.C. technical apparel; a Mid Zone housing the teaching/studios, as well as fashion marketing, fashion, product, graphic and interior design programs; and an Upper Zone designated for events and conference space. A focus on energy efficiency and environmental standards was key to the project's success and achieved relatively simply, with large glazed (and operable) windows helping to regulate temperature and the future potential for a green roof. LED lighting throughout would result in 30 percent less energy consumption compared to standard lighting systems. The project also made efficient use of campus space, being located in an underused parking lot facing an adjacent shopping centre. "This orientation inspired us to make the facility a gateway for the entire campus," says Kuwabara, "so we created a ground floor with gallery and a grand stair leading to the main floor of the existing University building. In short, everyone would come through our building to access the rest of the campus." Visually, the Wilson school would be enhanced with floor-to- ceiling vertical ribbons of suspended glass in shades of blue and white. Site conditions, including a very high water table, infirm soils and seismic considerations, required the architects, structural engineers Fast + Epp and the builders to construct a school that was relatively light but very stiff, and whose performance would approximate that of a ship. The structure is predominately heavy timber construction at all levels and features a composite mass timber-concrete floor system, which contains many of the mechanical and electrical services. Kuwabara is philosophical about the fact that not all the design ideas made it to the construction stage. "Originally, all the wiring was to be hidden in troughs imbedded in the concrete, and we had designed a double wall of glazing that would pull air into the building – but those elements would have caused budget overruns," he says. "This didn't dampen our enthusiasm for the project, however, as all of the key design ideas remained intact, and they combined to create another level of urbanity in a neighbourhood that is rapidly moving from suburban to urban." D.G.S. Construction Company Ltd. broke ground on the site in April of 2016, and Brad Ou-Yang, electrical engineer for AES Engineering, points out that the open components of the facility made his work challenging. "It's predominantly exposed wood columns and beams up to three-feet thick, so integrating our services – along with those of mechanical – was quite a task," he says. Fortunately, AES and the electrical contractor, Plan Group, mapped out as many service routes as possible during the design and construction planning stages, and the appropriate access holes were drilled into the interior panels at the fabrication shop. "And then the panels were transported to the site and assembled like Lego," says Ou-Yang. "As of the beginning of November the school was 80 percent finished, and so far there have been no mishaps." Now that the Wilson School of Design is nearing completion, Robertson and her colleagues are able to appreciate the visual and programmatic impact the facility will have on the campus in general. "We're very excited by the final outcome," she says. "This has been a long time in the making, and it's so fulfilling to realize that our vision has been fulfilled." A LOCATION 8771 Lansdowne Road, Richmond, B.C. OWNER/DEVELOPER Kwantlen Polytechnic University PROJECT MANAGER Capex Project Advisory Services Inc. ARCHITECTS KPMB Architects / PUBLIC GENERAL CONTRACTOR D.G.S. Construction Company Ltd. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Fast + Epp MECHANICAL CONSULTANT AME Consulting Group ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT AES Engineering Ltd. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT PFS Studio TOTAL SIZE 64,583 square feet TOTAL COST $36 million

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