Darthmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
The Nova Scotia Department of Transportation & Infrastructure Renewal (DTIR) and the Department of Education & Early Childhood Development (EECD) commissioned ZAS to design a modern, $18-million facility replacing two existing schools in the southern part of the Dartmouth community that are almost 60 years old.
As the school is significantly larger than those it is replacing, ZAS incorporated 17 “house” learning clusters to bring the design down to an appropriate scale for the students. The design incorporates 21st-century learning strategies such as shared learning commons to encourage collaboration and glassed-in group work areas in classrooms. To encourage the problem solvers of tomorrow, critical thinking is taught via Makerspaces and Innovation Labs to spark interests in hands-on design and technology.
The school easily doubles as a community resource by carefully locating amenities together, proving lock off areas and encouraging use after hours. Outdoor areas are landscaped to act as a “learning space,” expanding the classroom beyond the walls and into the naturalized extension of the surrounding woods, encouraging environmental stewardship. The school is targeting LEED Gold. (in association with Duffus Romans Kundzins Rounsefell Architects Ltd.) OR (in assoc. with DRKR)
Client
Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal and the Department of Education & Early Childhood Development, Government of Nova Scotia
Size
63,776 sq.ft
2 of storeys
Program Components
· 730 students
· Grades P-9 students
· 17 multi-purpose learning rooms (5 Jr High/12 Elementary)
· Administration
· Gym
· Change Rooms
· Active Healthy Living Classroom
· Visual Arts
· Music Room
· Practice Rooms
· Cafeteria
· Kitchen
· Storage Areas
· Textiles and Nutrition
· Library
· Sensory Room
· Innovation Labs
· Outdoor Learning/Green Building Education
Sustainable Features
· Targeting LEED Gold
· 40% energy reduction
· 30% water reduction
· Local and recycled materials
· Views and natural daylight
· Local and recycled materials
· On site storm water management
· Native and adaptive vegetation
· Outdoor Learning/Green Building Education