The new Alex Janvier School will be a welcome addition to the Glenwood community, providing room for 650 new grades 4-9 students. The project is unique first in its namesake who is of Denesuline descent with the Cold Lake First Nations. He is a member of what’s commonly referred to as the Indian Group of Seven and paints both the challenges and celebrations that he has encountered in his lifetime.

Secondly, the project is also unique in its utilization of an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) process combined with a strong desire to anchor the school in 21st Century learning and design principles. These two priorities have led to an efficient and rich design approach rooted in collaboration and team coordination which has allowed for both Alex Janvier 4-9 and Aleda Paterson K-3 to be designed and completed in tandem.

As a 21st Century learning school, it was crucial that the team develop a program and floor plan for the school that utilized the areas allocated by the provincial grant agreement in a manner that reflected a 21st Century approach. Led by the architectural team, several workshops, seminars, and Big Room meetings were held by the IPD team to establish a floor plan that met the needs of EPSB in a new, collaborative way. The IPD process further enriched this progression by allowing structural, mechanical, and electrical components to be incorporated early on, leading to a stronger and more efficient design approach.

The final school design incorporates a vast amount of natural light, while also allowing a large portion of open collaborative spaces. The interior design incorporates multiple openings to accommodate a fluid flow from classroom to learning commons spaces. This integrates the 21st century style.

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