The Brief
Schools represent important ways for communities to come together and explore a world of possibility. We partnered with Foulem Construction to create structural designs for the Elsipogtog First Nation Community School; a modern facility designed with students’ needs in mind.
Project Overview
Purpose-led design supports purposeful outcomes
Schools are uniquely positioned to bring people together and unlock possibilities. When Foulem Construction retained our team to provide detailed structural design services for the Elsipogtog First Nation Community School project in New Brunswick, we knew this would be a special journey.
The best buildings are influenced by a diverse chorus of viewpoints and perspectives. To get the structural design right, we needed to understand how this structure would be used, and the wide range of purposes it would serve. Conceived to accommodate 630 students from junior kindergarten right through to eighth grade, the school had to meet many differing needs. With 30 classrooms, a large gymnasium, running track, change rooms, stage, labs, administrative offices and community spaces, the building would offer students—and the broader community—new ways to come together.
That purpose inspired our work, and shaped our designs. Together, we created a unique semicircular shape. We mapped out five main wings, including a central, two-story gymnasium that took pride of place at the heart of the school. Suspended bleachers and a running track hover above the main gym. A large, curved exterior canopy is supported by custom, branch-like columns that reflect the surrounding environs.
Today, the Elsipogtog First Nation Community School building enables all those who gather there to learn, connect, play and grow with modern spaces specifically designed to support those goals—and more.
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