Facility Focus Fall 2021

Page 12

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

12

FACILITY FOCUS • Fall 2021


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