Project Category: Educational

The white-brick addition to the school’s existing yellow patched-brick building creates a vivid backdrop for St. Rose of Lima student activities during recess. 

To accentuate the façade, we used a chamfered frame to recess the windows and create openings that draw the eye inward. By contrast to the punched windows of the original structure, the recessed glazing introduces texture and play across the new façade. 

The existing school building relied on a single utility source, which was insufficient to meet the water demands of an additional building. Because a full services upgrade would have been cost prohibitive, we worked closely with civil and mechanical engineers and code consultants to design an autonomous addition that is serviced by its own water source and separated from the main school by firewalls. We were also required to position the addition in front of an existing exit, which necessitated that we troubleshoot solutions to various challenges, including the construction of a structurally independent access to the exit from the new building, strategic sprinklering, and the provision of automatic fire shutters above the addition to adequately separate the two buildings.

The International Centre (IC) at Lakehead University provides a welcoming and supportive space for students from around the world enrolled in the English Language Program (ELP) to study, grow, and foster relationships on campus. 

The goal for the IC was to create a student services hub that doubled as a gathering place where students of diverse nationalities and cultures could forge a community grounded in mutual respect, understanding, and friendship. Working within the footprint of a former library, we were tasked with converting the existing space into a flexible environment that accommodates both structured and unstructured educational and social activities for students, staff, and faculty. Together, the purpose-built IC and ELP spaces place an emphasis on social interactions as a means of accelerating language studies and community building. 

The program includes classrooms, administrative spaces, lounge areas, and support spaces. The plan is organized as a loop, with student-centric spaces facing south and administrative and support spaces located on the north side of the large ground-floor site. The key challenges were to bring daylight into the deep floor plate, simplify wayfinding, and provide flexible yet efficient spaces. We considered modern learning and study needs carefully to provide visitors with quiet private spaces as well as shared public zones in a design that anticipates future growth and opportunities for reconfiguration. Classrooms were located on the building’s periphery to maximize views to the outdoors and bring in natural light while the lounge was placed near high-traffic areas to encourage impromptu meetings and connections. In anticipation of ELP’s ongoing growth, we grouped classrooms adjacent to one another to allow for their easy combination or subdivision at a future date, if required.

We also prioritized creative approaches to circulation to spark unexpected opportunities for dialogue and exchange as individuals flow through the various spaces. Furnishings along the corridors, for example, encourage informal gathering in the spirit of a “linear lounge.” In the context of an academic environment in which English is often students’ second language, it was important to create pockets of common space to encourage spontaneous interactions and social cohesion. The design of flexible and functional circulation spaces provides opportunities for students to meet and socialize and a variety of venues for informal studying and learning among peers.

Designed to greet prospective students and their family members and provide a touch point for current students seeking general information or directions, Discover York is a high-visibility destination conceived as a portal into campus life.

The curved wood design fills the two-storey volume of the entrance lobby while “scooping” visitors into the centre. The 10-foot-high glazing provides an immediate connection between the lobby and the centre, filling the latter with light. 

We specified and tendered all of the furniture and oversaw the implementation of technology and self-serve digital kiosks.

The expansion to Janet Lee Elementary School for the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board introduces a new child care centre for 50 children and strengthens the school’s presence within the community. Carefully aligned with the existing front façade, the addition creates a continuous street edge and establishes a clear and welcoming identity that integrates seamlessly with the original building.

The child care centre is designed to support a range of early learning environments and includes five program rooms comprised of one infant room, two toddler rooms, and two preschool classrooms. The facility also includes all required ancillary spaces along with secure outdoor play areas. The layout follows Ministry of Education space standards to ensure operational efficiency, safety, and flexibility while supporting high quality early childhood programming.

The architectural expression responds to the scale and character of the existing school through a strong horizontal composition. A continuous canopy defines a primary datum along the front elevation and establishes a cohesive visual framework. White brick veneer forms a durable base at grade and provides a welcoming, child-scaled presence. Above, a concrete panel system matches the colour of the existing brick veneer, visually connecting the addition to the original building. Classroom windows are arranged rhythmically between horizontal datums to reinforce order, consistency, and balanced proportions.

The extended canopy provides weather protection for students waiting for buses and reduces solar gain along the south facing façade. It also marks the shared entrance sequence for both the school and the child care centre, strengthening program connections.

Inside, two primary circulation spines organize the plan and support intuitive wayfinding. A central skylight brings natural light into the heart of the child care centre, creating a bright and supportive environment. Site planning reconfigures the existing parking area to accommodate a perimeter drop off loop while maintaining safe pedestrian access and minimizing additional paved surfaces.