Owner: Lambton Kent District School Board
Location: Alvinston, Ontario
Size: 18,950 sf

The new addition for Brooke seeks to embody the feel of the site’s rural context. To accomplish this, the design turns to the structure and form inherent in agricultural buildings in order to give shape and meaning to the school architecture. The focal point of this school addition is expressed in the new entrance of the school. The cylindrical form represents a silo – becoming a metaphor. Similarly, its tree-like truss roof symbolizes growth. The site’s agricultural setting also informs the elemental material pallet of rich tones and natural textures. In essence, the school becomes sculpted by its pastoral surroundings as it achieves harmony with the agricultural landscape.

The programmatic elements included a substantial addition that integrated a new Best Start daycare component consisting of infant, toddler and preschool classrooms along with new Junior/Senior Kindergarten spaces. A meeting room, clinic and multi-purpose space complete with kitchen rounded out the daycare program. Additional school amenities included a gymnasium complete with a stage and change facilities and two teaching classrooms. Renovations to the existing school included the conversion of the old gym to a new computer room, a teaching classroom and a resource room. Additional minor renovations included upgrades to the library and other classroom fix-up.