LONDON DISTRICT CATHOLIC SCHOOL BOARD ST. JOHN FRENCH IMMERSION CATHOLIC … · 2015-04-08 · APRIL 2015 ST. JOHN FRENCH IMMERSION CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CORNERSTONE ARCHITECTURE

LONDON DISTRICT CATHOLIC SCHOOL BOARDST. JOHN FRENCH IMMERSION CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLURBAN DESIGN BRIEF

April 2015

3APRIL 2015 ST. JOHN FRENCH IMMERSION CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CORNERSTONE ARCHITECTURE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Section 1 4

1.1 Design Goals and Objectives 1.2 Design Response to City Documents 1.3 Spatial Analysis

• Section 2 9

2.1 Site Design 2.2 Building Design


The following Urban Design Brief will present the design intentions of the new St. John French Immersion Catholic Elementary School in London, Ontario.

1.1 DESIGN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The London District Catholic School Board has approved the construction of a new French Immersion Catholic Elementary School to be located at 1212 Coronation Drive, within London’s Hyde Park Community. The project consists of three major deliverables:

1. The construction of a new French Immersion Catholic Elementary School that will accommodate approximately five hundred and four (504) full time students from Kindergarten to Grade Eight. This 48,683 sq.ft, two storey, slab-on-grade structure will incorporate the following program spaces:

2. The construction of a new Child Care Centre that will accommodate 62 children in a 6,390 sq.ft., single storey, slab-on-grade structure, incorporating the following program spaces:

3. Exterior site work, which includes the following objectives:

The proposed design, as outlined in the following pages, has been developed with the above stated goals in mind through a collaborative process with key representatives of the London District Catholic School Board, London Bridge Child Care Services, Parks Planning and the City of London Development Services.

• Infant Area (875 sq.ft.) consisting of a Play Area, Nap Area, Washroom, Coat Room, Storage Room and Stroller Storage• Toddler Area (1,665 sq.ft.) consisting of two (2) Play Areas, Washroom, Coat Room and Storage Room• Preschool Area (1,665 sq.ft.) consisting of two (2) Play Areas, Washroom, Coat Room and Storage Room• Supervisors Centre (150 sq.ft.)• B.F. Public Washroom (70 sq.ft.)• Staff Lounge (200 sq.ft.)• Support Spaces (290 sq.ft.)

• Four (4) Kindergarten Classrooms (4,675 sq.ft.)• Sixteen (16) Classrooms for Grades 1-8 (each 750 sq.ft.)• Multi-Purpose Classroom (1000 sq.ft.)• Resource Room (450 sq.ft.)• Double Gymnasium (4,900 sq.ft.)• Gymnasium Storage (600 sq.ft.)• Male and Female Change Rooms (each 650 sq.ft.)• Learning Commons (2,300 sq.ft.)• Administration Area (2,440 sq.ft.)• Related storage and service spaces

• New parking lot consisting of fifty two (52) parking spaces including two (2) barrier free spaces. • Bus loading zone for school buses and car pick-up/drop-off area. • Designated exterior play areas, hard service playground and two (2) mini-pitch soccer fields.• Pathway networks between on-site amenities and Maple Grove Park that borders the eastern edge of the site.


1.2 DESIGN RESPONSE TO CITY DOCUMENTS

Official Plan PoliciesThe new St. John French Immersion Catholic Elementary School has been designed in accordance with the City of London Official Plan, specifically, Chapter 6 Regional & Community Facilities Designations and Chapter 11 Urban Design Principles.

ZoningThe site is zoned as a Neighbourhood Facility Zone (NF1), permitting the use of Elementary Schools. The proposal meets all of the City of London zoning requirements for this site.

Urban Design GuidelinesChapter Five (5) of the Hyde Park Community Plan outlines the following design guidelines for parks and schools located within this neighbourhood:

• Joint school and park campuses should be designed in a comprehensive manner to maximize utilization of the entire site. Fencing or other barriers should not be used to delineate property boundaries.

• Parks and school sites should have adequate street frontage in order to ensure these areas are visually connected with the neighbourhood and to provide safety and security.

• Buildings, structures and landscape elements should be created as neighbourhood focal points and landmarks for orientation and community identity. • Active recreation areas within school and park sites should be located adjacent to one another with passive recreation areas provided at a safe

distance from sportsfields. • Parking should generally be located between school buildings and sportsfields to provide ease of access to each area and be located away from the

public street space.• Schools and buildings within parks be architecturally designed to reflect their prominent role and position in the community.• The design of schools and park buildings should have consideration to topography, natural features, site lines and vistas and pedestrian and vehicular

access. • Service, maintenance areas and parking should be screened from view by building elements or landscaping.

Other Guideline Documents• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)• Day Nurseries Act


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1.3 SPATIAL ANALYSIS

Regional Spatial Analysis PlanThe site is located south of Gainsborough Road and east of Hyde Park Road within London’s Hyde Park Community. The proposed development will serve as a new facility for both the local neighbourhood and the greater community of London.

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Maple Grove Park

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Site Spatial Analysis PlanThe site is located on Coronation Drive, within a growing residential area comprised of detached single family homes, high rise residential developments, open recreational areas and commercial developments. As the site is directly adjacent to Maple Grove Park, emphasis has been placed on creating a joint school and park campus, maintaining an open relationship between both sites.

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Site PhotosWith a prominent presence from Coronation Drive, the new St. John French Immersion Catholic School will stand as a focal point within this growing residential neighbourhood. Bordered by Maple Grove Park to the east, residential lots to the west and Coronation Drive to the north, it will be important for the proposed building to complement its residential context and be visually appealing from all angles.

Site Photo A View Looking South from Coronation Drive

Site Photo B View Looking West from Maple Grove Park

Site Photo C View Looking East from Coronation Drive.


2.1 SITE DESIGN

Site DesignThe Site design conforms to the guidelines of the Hyde Park Community Plan and enhances the public realm through the implementation of the following objectives:

• Locate the building close to the street line, giving the north facade a prominent presence along Coronation Drive. • Locate the main building entrance in the north-west corner of the proposed school so that it addresses Coronation Drive and is accessible from the parking lot. • Locate the Kindergarten Classrooms and designated Kindergarten Exterior Play Area on the north side of the school in close proximity to the car pick-up / drop-

off lane on Coronation Drive and a safe distance from the school play areas and sports fields. Locating the Kindergarten Exterior Play Area at the front of the school also activates this streetscape.

• Locate the parking lot on the west side of the site so that it serves as a buffer between the new school to the east and proposed residential lots to the west. This location also provides direct access from the parking lot to the school, child care centre, playground and soccer fields, and allows direct and safe access between the school playground and the park.

• Provide a bus loading zone for school buses around the perimeter of the proposed parking lot.• Provide car drop-off/pick-up lane in an existing lay by in front of the school on Coronation Drive.• Maintain an open property line along the east edge of the site to allow for circulation between the school and the park.

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Conceptual Site Plan

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St. John French Immersion Catholic Elementary School

London Bridge Child Care Centre

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Proposed Site Plan

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Proposed London Bridge Child Care Centre

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CORONATION DR.

ST. JOHN FRENCH IMMERSION CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

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Proposed Landscape Plan

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The landscaping around the school has been designed to achieve the following objectives:

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Place street trees along the sidewalk on Coronation Drive as outlined in the Hyde Park Community Plan.

Provide planting along the north facade to identify and enhance the entrance. Create a hard surface ‘fore court’ providing a gathering space at the entrance to the building.

Plant large canopy trees on the vegetated parking islands for shading.

Provide a planting buffer on the island between the parking lot and the bus loading zone to the west of the school.

Provide a landscape screen along the west property boundary to visually obstruct the parking lot from the neighbouring residential lots.

Plant numerous trees along the south edge of the site to define the site boundary and provide area shading beside the sports fields.

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Multi-Stem ServiceberryRed MapleSugar MapleSilverleaf DogwoodHackberry Tree Cream Drop DaylilyPrinceton Sentry Pyramidal GinkgoShademaster LocustPrince of Wales JuniperKarl Foerster Reed GrassTulip TreeWhite SpruceRed OakAnthony Waterer Spirea Autumn Joy SedumHick’s Yew

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2.2 BUILDING DESIGN

The proposed floor plan for the school responds to the functional building program outlined by the London District Catholic School Board. The plan has been organized to achieve the following objectives:

• Organize communal programming around a double height entrance/atrium space including the Main Office, Staff Room, Learning Commons, Multi-Purpose Room and Gymnasium. The Learning Commons has been located on the Coronation Drive Elevation to create visual interest along the streetscape.

• Staff and students will enter the school through a vestibule into the main atrium space with the doors orientated to face Coronation Drive.

• Locate the Main Office in visual range of building entrance to allow for continuous surveillance of entrance doors.

• Provide an operable partition wall between the Learning Commons and the Atrium, enabling the Learning Commons to be opened or closed from the Atrium to suit the desired function of the space.

• Locate Kindergarten Classrooms in the north-east quadrant of the school so they are easily accessible from Coronation Drive, as well as to a designated exterior Play Area.

• Locate each classroom on an exterior facade to allow natural light into all learning spaces.

• Provide internal access between the School and the Child Care Centre.

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Conceptual Ground Floor Plan

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Ground Floor Plan Legend

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AtriumOffice Meeting RoomPrincipal’s OfficeVice Principal’s OfficeStaff Work RoomStaff LoungeStaff WashroomElectrical RoomSprinkler RoomLearning CommonsElevator Machine RoomMulti-Purpose ClassroomKindergarten ClassroomKindergarten Coat RoomKindergarten WashroomKindergarten Storage RoomClassroomStorage RoomBoys WashroomGirls WashroomDouble Gymnasium Gymnasium StorageGirls Change RoomBoys Change RoomServery Barrier Free WashroomLan RoomCustodial OfficeCustodial Room

Open Common AreaInfant Play AreaToddler Play AreaPreschool Play AreaStaff RoomsWashrooms / Service Rooms




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Second Floor Plan

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ElevatorResource RoomClassroomStaff Work RoomStorage RoomBoys WashroomGirls WashroomCustodial RoomStaff WashroomMechanical Room


Detailed Child Care Centre Floor Plan

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Open Common AreaSupervisors CentreServeryBarrier Free WashroomStroller StorageMaintenance RoomLaundry RoomStaff WashroomStaff LoungeInfant Coat RoomInfant Play AreaInfant Food Prep AreaInfant Nap AreaInfant WashroomToddler Coat RoomToddler Play AreaToddler WashroomToddler Storage RoomPreschool Coat RoomPreschool Play AreaPreschool WashroomPreschool Storage Room


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Infant Exterior Play Area

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Massing and ArticulationThe building design conforms to the guidelines of the Hyde Park Community Plan as well as to the comments received from Urban Design Staff at the pre-consultation stage of this submission. The massing of the new school and child care centre responds to the program areas of the interior while addressing the buildings exposure to Coronation Drive; creating the presence of a public building while responding to its residential context and exterior park surroundings, achieving the following objectives:

• The Atrium is a double height structure, glazed on the north west corner to highlight the main building entrance from both Coronation Drive and the parking lot. A single storey height canopy leads from the Atrium and extends from the north facade to create a sheltered area at the entrance of the school.

• The Learning Commons and Multi-Purpose Room are articulated as a one and a half storey high volume that addresses Coronation Drive. This lower height mass along the street serves to blend the two storey school into the scale of its single home residential context. This prominent facade consists of glazing, contrasting masonry and aluminum composite panel that is used to highlight the school name on this exposed facade.

• The east half of the building is a two storey mass that contains classrooms, this mass is setback from the street to create an open exterior play area for the kindergarten students. All building access points within this volume, including that into the Kindergarten Coat Rooms are sheltered by a sloped canopy that helps to visually define the glazed entrances. The stacked classrooms contain punched windows that are aligned and accentuated with vertical bands of contrasting masonry. The verticality of this architectural facade treatment elongates this two storey mass, giving the school a prominent presence within this residential community. The glazing along the east façade that addresses Maple Grove Park adds interest to this exposed building face and encourages visual interaction between the classrooms and the park.

• The Child Care Centre is a single storey structure that mimics the facade of the two storey portion of the school. The entrance to the Child Care Centre faces the parking lot and is defined by a sloped canopy that extends from the entrance to the Infant Play Room.

Architectural TreatmentThe architectural treatment of the new school and child care centre uses a simple and durable palette of building materials, including brick, architectural concrete block, metal composite panel, aluminum curtain wall system and windows. The material application maintains the following objectives:

• The warm brick and grey architectural concrete block creates a durable, low maintenance base in keeping with the use of masonry in neighbouring houses.

• The glazed corners at the Atrium and Learning Commons helps to define entrances, introduce natural light into and draw emphasis on these important elements.

• The aluminum composite panel is used to define canopies and highlight important building elements such as the school name on the north facade and the entrances to the Kindergarten Classrooms.

Material Palette

Aluminum Curtain Wall & Windows

Aluminum Composite Panel

Brick Architectural Concrete Block


Perspective Views

Perspective View B View Looking East From North Path

Perspective View A View Looking North from Existing Playgrounds


Spring Equinox - March 20

Summer Solstice - June 21

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Shadow StudiesThe following sun studies explore the shading conditions generated by the proposed development, illustrating the daily shadow path on four days throughout the year. Since the two storey school is surrounded by open recreational space, the shadow impacts of the building on the site are minimal. The shadow studies do show that although the Kindergarten Exterior Play Area is located on the north side of the building, this playground will have areas of direct sun exposure during most of the school year.

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Sustainability TechniquesEnvironmental sustainability will be a key factor in the design of the St. John French Immersion Catholic Elementary School and the surrounding exterior recreational space. The following sustainable design features will be explored and incorporated where economically feasible:

• Increase building envelope performance• Low flow plumbing fixtures• LED lighting / daylight harvesting.• Enhance energy performance through responsive building operating systems• Reflective roof membrane to reduce heat island effect• Low VOC content building materials• Low maintenance and drought tolerant native vegetation

The proposed site features, including a hard surface playground, open space and sports fields, will complement the existing park infrastructure, creating a recreational destination within the neighbourhood. This new development will provide both local residents and the greater community of London with a sustainable environment that promotes recreational activities and encourages community.