Featuring a mass timber structure, the seismic replacement of Bayview Community Elementary in Vancouver is complete. Designed by Francl Architecture, the two-storey, 38,000-sq-ft building uses cross-laminated timber (CLT).

The structure includes CLT interior, exterior, and core walls as well as CLT suspended floor and roof panels – many of which will be left exposed. Chandos Construction was general contractor.

The new, safer Bayview Community Elementary with a capacity for 365 students includes a neighbourhood learning centre that provides before-and-after-school care to families in the area. The school was built to the latest seismic standards and includes innovative, low-carbon mass timber as a main building material.

Bayview Elementary School will be among the first school of its kind in Canada. The total carbon benefit from using mass timber as the primary building material is approximately 1,400 tonnes of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of removing hundreds of cars from the road for an entire year.

The seismic replacement of Bayview Community Elementary is a result of $24.5 million in provincial funding.

“As a school board, our top priority is the safety of our students and staff,” said Victoria Jung, board chair, Vancouver School Board. “With the construction of this new school, we have not only achieved seismic safety, but also made a commitment to sustainable practices. By utilizing innovative technology, we are paving the way for a brighter, greener future for our students and the community.”

The original, 100-year-old, three-storey school was demolished. It held multiple heritage pieces that were salvaged and incorporated into the new build. These items include a set of 1929 vestibule doors, an arched window from 1913, and two church pews.