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Sir Sandford Fleming School & Child Care
By : Acton Ostry Architects Inc.
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition
Discipline : Architecture
Categories : Public Building / School & Preschool Education Building : Silver Certification
Sir Sandford Fleming Elementary School and Child Care is the result of an innovative partnership between the Vancouver School Board and the City of Vancouver that arose in response to the replacement of the original 1912 school under the British Columbia Ministry of Education Seismic Mitigation Program and a mutual desire to provide communities with a single location to serve the needs of families with young children.
The colourful, light-filled new school features state-of-the-art 21st-century learning environments on the first two levels with a child care centre and outdoor play area located above. The layout of the school features an animated, interconnected circulation spine that doubles as an informal social commons.
Arranged along one side of the spine are classroom learning neighbourhoods that consist of clusters of four classroom block volumes that front onto shared group learning spaces with large expanses of windows. Both the upper and ground level classroom blocks have direct access to the exterior. At the midpoint of the spine, a double-height social area connects to an outdoor courtyard and brings light deep into the building. A playful feature stair provides access to the upper level of the school.
A kindergarten, administrative offices, multipurpose room and gymnasium are aligned along the opposite side of the circulation spine. The double-height multipurpose room offers a high degree of flexible use as an activity space, lunchroom, large gathering area and after-school care. The gymnasium is conveniently located for ease of access to outdoor play areas.
A 69-space child care centre for infants and toddlers is located on the third floor of the building. Interior functions extend along one side of the circulation spine, while an expansive imaginative outdoor play area runs along the other.
The boxy, cubic form of the school is clad with coloured planes of economical corrugated cladding above a continuous masonry base. Access points into the building are marked with bright orange columns. A wide variety of outdoor play zones, landscaped play areas and a new all-weather playfield surround the school.
Collaboration
Architect : Acton Ostry Architects
Engineering : Equilibrium Consulting Inc
