Prince of Wales Elementary School
The new Prince of Wales school is a state-of-the-art facility, with up-to-date classroom amenities for the students.
The design is based on the Provincial elementary education program, and a versatile “Town Square” concept. The new accessible, multi-use facility is integrated into the neighbourhood, permitting after-hours use by the community. Full-sized playfields were relocated in the location of the old school.
The architectural design is intentionally modern in style, intended to be a positive statement about urban revitalization in this older downtown neighborhood. The new school’s “warm and inviting character” is due to the contrast between distinctive modern features like the glass curtain wall and the antique-looking red-brown brick. The project re-used many historic stone artifacts from the original school.
Located in the heart of urban Hamilton, the design has been praised for its “out-of-the-box thinking and efficient site planning”. Prince of Wales elementary, in the shadow of famed Ivor Wynne Stadium, won the Award of Merit in the City of Hamilton’s 2009 Urban Design and Architecture Awards. Winners of the juried contest must excel in multiple areas:
- Address scale, materials, and building orientation within context
- Create a quality pedestrian environment
- Respect heritage
- Incorporate energy efficiency and sustainability
- Be well executed
The awards jury said this put an “important community use” on a “potentially difficult site.”
LOCATION
Hamilton, Ontario
COMPLETED
2009
SIZE
75,600 ft²
Capacity
800 FTS
SERVICES
New Construction
AWARDS
2009 Award of Merit
Hamilton Urban Design Awards
Muskoka Falls Elementary School & Day Care
This elementary school project offered an opportunity to demonstrate how sustainability and the creation of an inspired learning environment are complementary agendas in school design.
Strategic decisions regarding material selections reinforce ideas of sustainability and connection to the natural surroundings in which the building was set.
Pre-cast concrete floors and roof, concrete block, and clay brick all represent locally available and highly durable material selections. Complementary natural woods and composite wood panels describe a relationship to with the natural surroundings while utilizing renewable and fully recyclable products.
Enhanced interior day-lighting is accomplished through large, north facing windows for all classrooms and translucent glazing panels that direct and diffuse natural light deep into the gymnasium space.
Continuous curtain wall glazing for the library with a view out across the Muskoka River is accompanied by a deep soffit overhang that minimizes summer solar heat gain. This employment of day-lighting techniques reduces energy demand for lighting which can constitute as much as 30% of the energy requirement for a typical school building. Natural light has also been linked to improved student performance.
Our experience in “evidence based” design, exemplified in this project, continues to be used on other projects to create positive learning environments.
LOCATION
Bracebridge, Ontario
COMPLETED
2007
SIZE
22,000 ft²
SERVICES
New Construction
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Education Centre
Hamilton-Wentworth DSB is consolidating all facilities that deliver non-instructional programs and services to a New Education Centre.
The Board currently has its departments and services spread throughout four facilities with its main office downtown and other programs like warehouse/workshop, computer services and other administrative staff spread throughout three schools. Two major benefits to this consolidation are overall area reduction and operational efficiency.
+VG assisted the Board in an extensive evaluation of a number of potential sites for the New Education Centre. We professionally assessed 18 sites. The objective was to identify viable sites available for purchase that did not have limitations that compromised program needs.
+VG worked closely with Board personnel to confirm the number of departments/services, support spaces, population of staff per department, types and number of workstations, and offices. Common areas and outdoor areas such as parking, loading, and open space were defined.
+VG gained a clear understanding of direct and indirect relationships (adjacencies) of department to department, public areas, staff areas, meeting areas, storage areas, etc.. General concepts of open office areas vs. private office areas, multi-functional spaces, multi-use meeting areas, consolidated storage areas, views, and natural light were determined.
+VG met directly with all Board User Groups and retrieved very specific information with respect to the inner workings of each department. An understanding of inter-relationship requirements produced efficient and effective building and operations planning for the new Centre.
Cost estimates were prepared by the Board’s Cost Consultant, based on detailed functional program/space program and block schematic design building plans prepared by +VG. Concept site plans were also prepared by +VG. The design phase is currently underway, on schedule.
LOCATION
Hamilton, Ontario
CLIENT
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board
COMPLETED
2015
SIZE
115,700 ft²
SERVICES
New Construction
