Ecole Lawrence Grassi Middle School

Ecole Lawrence Grassi Middle School is a beautiful wood frame school in Canmore, Alberta.

The replacement school includes 12 modular classrooms and 13 specialty classrooms, set against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.

Sustainability was a central part of the school’s design; not only did it receive LEED Silver Certification, it is also the first Net Zero school in Canada, thanks to a high degree of energy efficiency.

To help support the sustainable goals of the project, as well as the team’s vision for a warm and memorable space for students and the community, RJC’s material selection included inclined architecturally exposed wood columns that support a vaulted ceiling over the library and popular student common area.

In addition to being environmentally friendly, the exposed wood columns create a warm, earthy backdrop.To help speed construction, structural insulated panels were utilized for the roof structure.