Lethbridge’s new school big on colour and renewable solar energy BY CINDY CHAN
A
new elementary
outside with a common light mix
students because they couldn’t
school in
and dark mix with medium brick,
find any manufactured product for
Lethbridge is not
making it more visually interesting
that purpose.
just incorporating
than a large monolithic mass.
learning elements
“One thing that’s cool are the
Each of the entrances have heavy,
iridescent aluminum composite
solid colour-block canopies; one
panels that reflect prisms of colour
is a teal-green, one is orange-red.
all around,” Potrie says. “We
There has been a lot of growth
The colours help the students with
wanted this whole school to be a
in the south area of Lethbridge,
wayfinding and navigation. The
teaching tool.”
but it hasn’t seen a new school in
school also includes an outdoor
a long time. Dr. Robert Plaxton
classroom and playground with an
inside the classroom but with its infrastructure as well.
Elementary School was built as part of a small new community
energy sources feature.
The interior of Dr. Robert Plaxton Elementary School, which houses 23 classrooms for kindergarten to
called Southbrook. The school
“This feature shows how alternative
Grade 5 students, includes a “Piet
is a brand new, 5,000-square-
energy such as solar, wind and
Mondrian design for the flooring
metre, single-story building with
geothermal work and how we can
consisting of a white canvas with
eight additional modular units
contribute to a greener future,”
thin, black lines and bold colours,”
(four on each side of the building).
Potrie explains. Additionally, the
says Yauck. This is all part of the
Construction on the facility began
rooftop is covered with solar arrays
different coloured sections for
in April 2019 and wrapped up in
and the gym has solar panels on its
wayfinding, so students know
January 2021.
south- and west-facing walls. “Each
where they are at all times.
According to Jesse Potrie, architect at FWBA Architects, and Theresa Yauck, senior interior design technologist at FWBA
of those arrays feeds into a display on the interior that shows how much energy is being generated, how many trees are being saved.”
“The colours were chosen for this particular education space and age of children; we wanted to create dynamic environments but
Architects, the school’s exterior
Potrie says they also custom-
also find this balance of peace,
has two different patterns on the
designed scooter racks for the
so it doesn’t feel like they’re
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FACILITY FOCUS • Fall 2021