Located in south‐east Vancouver, this elementary school has been standing tall since its original build in 1955. However, with changes in the building code and as part of the Seismic Mitigation Program in British Columbia, a need to ensure the safety of students and faculty staff was identified.
The life-safety retrofit of this two-storey elementary school includes a 39,000 square foot classroom and office block as well as an enhanced performance retrofit of the 6,000 square foot gymnasium using reinforced concrete walls. Fast + Epp worked to locate the majority of the new wall elements in the main entry area where a double height space was introduced in order to limit disruption to the rest of the school.
The double height entry atrium created an open learning environment, which was accomplished by the removal of some of the upper floor. This allowed for more light into the building and illuminated the entry area as the focal point of the school.
These new upgrades bring structural safety against earthquakes, providing students and staff a peace of mind to learn, explore, and play in this modernized space.