Stephen Teeple and Luc Jean-Paul Bouliane from Teeple Architects and David Ellis from David Ellis Architects were on hand last night at the first Algoma District School Board (ADSB) meeting of 2009.
With them, they brought pretty pictures of two elementary school designs that should be accomodating new students by late 2010.
The first design the architectural partnership unveiled was for a much-needed expansion to the elementary school in Hornepayne, Ontario.
The new design almost doubles the size of the school's existing gymnasium, adds many classrooms and workshops and includes plans for a future daycare facility.
In an effort to offset high Northern Ontario heating costs, school officials are looking into high-efficiancy heating options including geothermal energy.
They are working to create an efficient timeline to ensure no breaks occur in the students' education during the Hornepayne expansion and hope to allow construction to continue throughout the winter months.
The second presentation from Teeple, Boulaine and Ellis unveiled the conceptual design for the new French immersion school [shown] that will replace both Francis.H. Clergue Public School and Rosedale Public School on the existing F.H. Clergue site.
The proposed new two-story building will face south overlooking Penhorwood Park with an abundance of large windows allowing plenty of natural light to illuminate the interior.
Eight kindergarten classrooms, a large gymnasium, state-of-the-art library and a multi-purpose activity room complete with stage make up the majority of the main floor.
Safety plays a major role in the exterior design, which puts public access and student bus drop-off points on opposite sides of the structure.
At first glance, structure looks like a big square box.
"It's a square box with a couple of moves," Teeple told the board.
"It's like a brick that someone threw a handkerchief over," Ellis added.
Both new schools were designed with environmental considerations in mind, and will include:
- Energy-efficient mechanical system.
- Energy-efficient building envelope.
- Low-E, argon-filled windows.
- Natural ventilation.
- Natural daylight.
- Reflective roofing.
- Minimal water usage.
- Low-flow plumbing fixtures.
- Recycled materials.
- Low VOC materials.
The ADSB will host an information meeting at F.H. Clergue at 7 p.m. tonight to show off the new French immersion school design to the public and field any questions or concerns.
A similar meeting will be scheduled in February regarding the Hornepayne school design.