MILLCREEK SCHOOL

PROJECT

The intent of the landscape design for this Spanish immersion inner-city elementary school is to create an exterior open space that encourages interaction with the environment, social connections, passive recreation, and physical activities with a subtle Latin flavor. The landscape design invites children to connect with the outdoors to foster their well-being and improve learning capacity.

The school features a central hard surface plaza with a colorful swirl design, celebrating its Latin heritage. The plaza forms the heart of the school site and extends in it’s function and design into the learning commons. It will be used for school performances, assemblies, and the annual fiesta and will form the daily center for outdoor social activities. It can be used for outdoor gym classes as well as an outdoor classroom. Tree planting will be integrated in the plaza.

Due to its inner-city location in a residential neighborhood, it was crucial to seamlessly integrate the school into the existing site. All of the existing trees, as well as the soccer field and playground, will be retained.

A small, grassed hill adds topographical interest to the otherwise flat site and provides winter sledding fun. Next to the hill, a more intimate outdoor classroom will be constructed underneath the existing tree canopies. It will feature boulders as seating and will be sheltered by nearby shrub planting.

SCOPE

New Construction
Location:
Edmonton, Alberta
Architect:
Manasc Isaac Architects
Completion:
Anticipated Spring 2019