Vista Hills Public School
The design of this new school required a compact footprint to allow for the development of two full-sized play fields which will be shared-use with the City of Waterloo.
The solution was a partial three-storey plan at the street corner with a two-storey section for the kindergartens and gymnasium areas.
The image/style was developed to emphasize the cutting-edge modernity of Waterloo – home of BlackBerry, the Perimeter Institute, University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, and many high-technology businesses. Major components of the school include:
- Library and Maker Lab
- Full size (double) gym
- Administration offices
- Music classroom
- Science and Technology classroom
- Special Education classrooms
- Seminar Rooms
- Pod style classroom layout
- Structure to support future or planned solar panels
- Structural design to support future additions
- Exterior landscaping
LOCATION
Waterloo, Ontario
COMPLETED
January 2016
SIZE
70,200 ft²
CAPACITY
2,016 FTS
SERVICES
New Construction
St. Mary's College Catholic Secondary School
Design of this new consolidated school is based on a “World Cafe” consultation and information gathering process with the three school community stakeholders as well as board representatives.
The architectural design for the new school involves a three-storey structure with outdoor access on two levels. The sloping topography allows the building’s second floor level to be situated at grade on the west side where the main entrance, drop-off route and parking lot are located. Sloping topography also allows first floor level access at grade on the building’s east side to all of the school’s athletic facilities. Building wings feature primary programs: theatre arts in the north wing and gymnasia in the south wing.
LOCATION
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
COMPLETED
2015
SIZE
188,500 ft²
CAPACITY
1,450 FTS
SERVICES
New Construction
Granite Ridge Education Centre
In 2010, the Limestone District School Board completed a comprehensive ARC process and Condition Assessments of the family of schools surrounding the Sharbot Lake Community.
To address significant declining enrollment, the Board embarked on a plan to merge three existing Elementary Schools and the Sharbot Lake High School into a single, new K–12 facility.
The new school is located on the site of the existing high school, and while the 54,000 m² site at first appeared large enough to easily support this new building, steep terrain, natural wetlands, and existing development restricted the new building to a limited footprint.
The resulting design was a three-storey school building with a second floor gymnasium that pushes into a treed limestone hillside. The academic wing was organized with Kindergartens on the ground floor, elementary classrooms on the second floor, and secondary classrooms occupying the upper floor. Because of the rural nature of Sharbot Lake, the School Board recognized the new facility would function as a community hub as part of the design process. +VG engaged community stakeholders, such as the Sharbot Lake Little Theatre, to ensure the design could accommodate these needs, as well as the academic needs of the Limestone District School Board.
+VG Architects successfully facilitated a series of design meetings, cognizant of the underlying tensions still present as a result of the many difficult decisions the committee had to make during the ARC process. Building a trust relationship with the committee first by acknowledging their difficult work to date, and then focusing on the opportunities ahead, was key to the success of the Schematic Design process.
LOCATION
Sharbot Lake, Ontario
COMPLETED
January 2014
SIZE
65,000 ft²
CAPACITY
550 FTS
SERVICES
New Replacement School
PHOTOGRAPHY
David Bell
C.R. Gummow Public School
This project required the continuous operation of three school buildings on site during construction and demolition after construction was occupied.
The school design is based on a variation of the cross-shaped prototype +VG developed in response to the guidelines of the Ministry of Education. The circulation layout features a large lobby which ties the wings together and provides direct access to the Administration Office and Library areas. The large lobby area also provides a warm welcome for all visitors and a place for informal collaboration and fellowship.
The basic design enhances security by eliminating hidden corners. The entrances and parking lot are well-lit and there is good wall lighting provided to enhance security.
The drop-off and pick-up area is laid out to be closest to the parking lots, minimizing the distance between these “kiss n’ ride” zones and the daycare entrances and exists. This maximizes the supervision of these zones, thereby increasing the security of children being picked up and dropped off. Simultaneously, this expedites the time spent by parents dropping off or picking up their children from the daycare facility, which in turn substantially reduces vehicular congestion.
LOCATION
Cobourg, Ontario
COMPLETED
2015
SIZE
67,500 ft²
SERVICES
Reconstruction
St. Peter Catholic Elementary School & St. Paul Catholic Secondary School
In 2009, +VG Architects was retained to continue the work of the ARC process the ALCDSB had began in 2006.
This included a Condition Assessment of the existing St. Peter Catholic Elementary School. +VG assessed the architectural feasibility of Final Recommendations 3 and 4 of the Accommodation Review Committee. The recommendations under review included the construction of a new St. Peter Catholic Elementary School on the site of the existing St. Paul Catholic Secondary School, as well as an addition to St. Paul Secondary School to accommodate Grade 7 & 8 students. +VG successfully facilitated a series of design meetings while being cognizant of the underlying tensions still present as a result of the many difficult decisions the committee had to make during the ARC process. Building a trust relationship with the committee first by acknowledging their difficult work to date and then focusing on the opportunities, was key to the success of the project.
The project has resulted in a reinvigorated education facility now known as the Quite West Catholic Campus. The existing secondary school building was added to, creating new specialized classrooms for fine arts, instrumental and vocal music, and fitness. The gymnasium was completely refurbished and seven regular classrooms were added to accommodate a change to a Grades 7 to 12 learning environment.
A new 1-storey, 25,000 square foot new elementary school is co-located on the site servicing a student population of 300 from Junior kindergarten to Grade 6. The two facilities work together and take advantage of the opportunity to share public spaces, such as two sports fields, two gymnasiums, and a chapel for special events and community activities. Even with the increased build-out, the project was able to maintain a wooded area at the south end of the property that both schools use to support environmental education programs.
LOCATION
Trenton, Ontario
COMPLETED
January 2014
SIZE
44,132 ft²
CAPACITY
300 FTS (St. Peter)
470 FTS (St. Paul)
SERVICES
New Construction of an Elementary School on an Existing Secondary School Site
St. Michael Catholic Elementary School
In 2007, St. Michael CES had a student enrolment of approximately 400 FTE students.
The original building, built in 1908 and 1913, had been added to again in the 1950’s and 1970’s to accommodate, at its pinnacle, a total student enrolment of 650. +VG Architects led a school Planning Accommodation Review Committee process with the Board and School Community to help clarify academic needs and facilitate the transition to a new facility right-sized for their current and projected enrolments. Key in this process was sincere listening to the concerns of the school community while reinforcing the opportunities available to augment academic and community program spaces not achievable within the existing facility.
The process resulted in the unanimous approval of the final design approach that would see the implementation of full day kindergarten, enhanced facilities for physical education and computer literacy, classroom technology improvements, and improved non-core program elements such as larger rejuvenated play yards and space for “Before and After” childcare facilities.
The re-construction of St. Michael’s School occurred within an occupied facility on a tight urban site.
LOCATION
Belleville, Ontario
COMPLETED
2012
SIZE
39,000 ft²
CAPACITY
400 FTS
SERVICES
Reconstruction
Wortley YMCA Child Care Centre, London Normal School
The London Normal School is a Provincially significant heritage property designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.
This project created a state-of-the-art YMCA child care facility, learning spaces, camp programs and administration space within the historic facility.
+VG was the Prime Consultant responsible for planning, design, contract documents, tendering support, contract administration, general review, commissioning, and close-out.
LOCATION
London, Ontario
COMPLETED
2017
SIZE
20 Infant, 40 Toddler, 44 Pre-school
SERVICES
Renovation
AWARDS
2012 Green Brick Award
Urban League of London
Moffat Creek Public School & Day Care
Material selections reinforce the sustainability of this highly efficient building, while fostering a connection to the natural surroundings.
+VG Architects incorporated low maintenance, durable materials into the design of the new school.
The classrooms and other major spaces are organized along one main corridor on each floor. This single corridor design provides a clear linear path of travel for students and enables efficient supervision by staff. This design also provides an important advantage – it allows each classroom and major space to have windows which enhance daylighting.
Enhanced daylighting is beneficial because it decreases reliance on artificial lighting, and studies have demonstrated a link between a naturally lighted environment and improved student performance. Artificial lighting represents as much as 30% of the energy requirement for a typical school.
LOCATION
Cambridge, Ontario
COMPLETED
2012
SIZE
67,400 ft² (School)
4,100 ft² (Day Care)
CAPACITY
2,012 FTS
SERVICES
New Construction