College of the Rockies: Trades Building
Cranbrook, British Columbia

KMBR was appointed to provide the functional program and complete design services for this major expansion of the COTR Cranbrook Campus. The program required two new buildings, 1) a standalone Trades Building to accommodate the COTR automotive and heavy duty mechanics programs, and 2) a two-storey (plus basement) Academic Building linked to the existing main building.

An important goal in the planning was to create an identifiable character for each building that would create a sense of “campus” while developing a palette of materials and an approach to massing that serve to tie the campus together.

One portion of the building has been designed to take a second storey.

Siting of the Trades Building also allowed for the addition of other trades facilities, and considered solar orientation, aesthetics and the ease of both pedestrian and vehicle access.