St. Francis of Assisi Elementary School
St. Francis of Assisi Elementary School is located in Vancouver’s vibrant Commercial Drive area. The original school, built in 1940, has watched the community grow up around it. KMBR originally worked the Catholic Diocese to complete a building assessment and seismic upgrade feasibility study. Our firm went on to collaborate closely with the parent group and school administration on programming engagement, and was subsequently engaged as the Coordinating Registered Professional for a phased addition and seismic upgrade.
While the student population will remain the same, the addition effectively doubles the floor area of the school, adding a library, gymnasium, change rooms, music room, after school care facilities, administrative offices, elevator, and central student commons linking old and new portions of the school. Seismic upgrades will be performed in phase 2 of the project. Voluntary upgrades to the existing washrooms will be completed in phase 3, bringing the project up to current standards of accessibility and inclusivity.
Three outdoor play areas are designed for different age cohorts. Kindergarten to Grade 2 have a play area on the gym roof. The courtyard between the old and new building is being developed for the middle group (Grades 3-5) with a “ninja-course” climbing structure and tiered outdoor amphitheater. The at-grade area west of the school will be developed as an older play zone for Grades 5-7. It has a basketball court, 4 square, vegetable and herb planter boxes, picnic tables, bench seating, and other features directed toward middle school aged children.
The project is now in the permitting stage and is expected to go to tender by March 2023.
Project Stats
- Client: St. Francis of Assisi Parish
- Location: Vancouver, BC
- Size: 1,350 sq.m.
- Project Type: Master Planning and Feasibility Study, Design of Addition