Lauwelnew School Expansion

South Saanich Indian Reserve No. 1, BC

The Lauwelnew School new build and expansion accommodates students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Located in the main community of the Tsartlip First Nation, the schools are culturally important. The original structure dates back to 1989, but the school began to experience a space shortage in 2017. The goals were to improve the facilities to create more space for direct work with students supporting special education, room for First Nation education, and encouraging athletics. Upgrades to the building including a new full-sized gymnasium for the elementary school, an expansion for the secondary school, and a separate new language immersion building.

ASPECT was the structural Engineer of Record and Mass Timber Specialty Engineer for this project. The existing elementary school building received an additional 22,000 square feet for the gymnasium, and the secondary school received an additional 9,000 square feet. Steel trusses were used to support the upper and lower roofs in the gym, creating a column-free space between the seating and the gym floor. The structures are comprised of glulam beams and joists, composite concrete and steel suspended floors, light wood frame walls, and concrete shallow foundations.

ClientWSÁNEĆ School BoardArchitectMcFarland Marceau ArchitectsStatusCompleted (2023)