Our sculptural addition to this elementary school, which extends out from the second storey to hover above the playground, accommodates a new library and creates a sheltered environment at grade for students that is both functional and whimsical.

Our design for the addition at St. Denis Catholic School was driven by two key factors: the building’s orientation on the site and spatial constraints related to the property’s small lot size and steeply sloped incline. In order to work with these restrictions, preserve the existing play area, and bypass the logistical complexities of an at-grade addition, which would have compromised the classroom layout in the original building, we arrived at a creative solution: expand the second-storey library and use the surplus existing space to accommodate the new classroom requirements, ancillary spaces, and the corridors required to access the addition. 

Featuring integrated seating, a wood skin, and an elongated column, the exterior elements of the addition are part of the play space while the interior houses a new library and learning space. Two long bands of windows stretch across the curvilinear body, allowing light to pour into the classrooms. At the elevated level, students have a clear view of the treeline that surrounds the property, reinforcing a connection with nature throughout the day. 

To address the soil conditions and support this second-floor addition, we used deep helical pier foundations to avoid the time and cost required to undertake a large-scale excavation and underpinning of the existing building. In order to install new structural steel and reinforce the foundation of an occupied building, we took great care to devise a phasing and exiting strategy in one wing of the school to minimize disruptions to students, circulation, and the daily school schedule.