BGC Strathcona Hub
A net-zero ready building in the Brentwood neighbourhood of Sherwood Park, future home to bgc Strathcona and its growing youth community programs.
bgc Strathcona is an organization in Sherwood Park, Alberta providing healthy growth and development services for children, youth and families in their community. With an increased demand for their program offerings, bgc retained holo-blok for the design of a new facility on an existing school site in the mature neighbourhood of the Brentwood.
The project is designed to be net-zero ready in accordance with the Federal Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program.
The project features a variety of program spaces including a full-sized gymnasium and administrative spaces. The mass timber structure and interiors activate biophilic principles to provide a safe, comfortable and functional new home for bgc Strathcona.
The project site is Brentwood Park in the Brentwood neighbourhood of Sherwood Park, Alberta. Home to Brentwood Elementary School and a number of other existing amenities, available locations to site the project were limited.
Site selection was completed with the involvement of Strathcona County, who are donating a portion of the lands to bgc Strathcona. After a rigorous analysis, the east side of the site was determined as the most logical location for the new building. The project aims to reconcile the existing natural areas of the site with new naturalized areas.
Further outdoor site amenities are proposed at locations which will complement the interior aspects of the project to create program spaces that can flow between the indoors and outdoors.
The massing technique used is premised on the idea of a zipper, where two masses are separated as the project moves north. This separation of masses serves a few purposes. By creating a logical interface where massing can be reduced on the residential-facing side of the project, it allows for more natural lighting to enter the building. Additionally, this maximizes available space for the roof-mounted solar array.
To maximize natural light penetration, the project uses transparent cladding extensively throughout. The predominantly wood-look cladding not only contrasts to provide visual interest but reflects the highly naturalized surrounding site and reminds of the project’s net-zero focus.
The interior spaces are a series of large, flexible areas designed to accommodate a variety of program needs. The entryway has ample room for youths to congregate before breaking off into their respective groups, and transparency is prioritized to promote sightlines within all interior spaces.
Conceptually, the interior is designed with biophilic principles at the forefront. The mass timber structure provides a focal point, highlighted by maximizing light through clerestory glazing. The heart of the building is a large gathering space around a feature stair that serves several ancillary functions including, cubbies, soft seating and views into the gymnasium.
holo-blok Team
