Mass timber forms structural system of Vancouver school by HCMA

The structural system includes prefabricated glue-laminated timber and cross-laminated-timber (CLT) posts, beams and panels. The elements were pre-cored for mechanical and electrical systems when they arrived on site, helping speed up construction.

“The school exceeds British Columbia’s Wood First Act guidelines, which require wood to be the primary building material in provincially funded projects,” said HCMA Architecture + Design, which has offices across western Canada.

“With Canadian mass timber as its primary structural material, the K-7 school is a showcase for how locally sourced engineered wood can both reduce embodied carbon and act as a compelling design feature,” the team said.

Three of the wings hold the school’s learning communities and kindergarten pod, along with multipurpose rooms, administrative spaces and a library. The fourth volume contains a double-height gymnasium.

“Each learning community is comprised of three to four classrooms that share a central breakout space, building a sense of community and connection between students in different classes and empowering teachers to collaboratively teach,” the team said.

The classrooms have folding, glazed partitions, enabling the rooms to open up toward the breakout spaces.

The atrium, envisioned as the school’s “social heart”, has a feature stair with built-in honeycomb alcove seating. Stretching across the upper level is a connecting bridge that overlooks the gathering area below.

The atrium offers clear sight lines in all directions, including west toward a fern garden and east toward a playground. The playground sits lower on the site and can be accessed via a slide integrated into the hillside.