Poplar Road Junior Public School

Scarborough, ON

This two-storey elementary school is designed as a prototype which, upon success, the Toronto District School Board will extend to other new schools of up to four-storeys. The priority for this new elementary school is to employ mass timber and modular construction to create a sustainable building solution for schools that also enables speed of construction. With the new school being built behind the existing school, which will remain operational throughout the construction phase. The upgraded public school building will include classrooms, a child care centre, a gymnasium, and a library.

Following the evaluation of five structural options, the final design for this modularized building features glulam ribbed CLT panels and CLT walls. The unique system employs prefabricated panels and wall components that are all the same size, making it easy to change the size and shape of the school if needed and apply the prototype to different projects. ASPECT was engaged by the Architect when the project first began in December 2023, providing structural Engineer of Record services. In this role, our team drew from our experience working as mass timber advisors and specialty engineers, to develop connections in the design phases, ensuring early-on that the prototype works.

Renderings courtesy of Moriyama Teshima Architects.

ArchitectMoriyama Teshima ArchitectsStatusUnder Construction