R.H.G. Bonnycastle School Addition

location 
1100 Chancellor Drive.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 

client 
Pembina Trails School Division

consultants 
S / Kowalchuk Consulting Engineers
M / KGS Group.
E / KGS Group.

contractor 
Marrbeck Construction Ltd.

area 
4,800 sf

cost 
$1 Million

status
Completed

photography
Lindsay Reid

Prairie Architects was hired by the Province to design an elevator addition & exterior entrance remediation for the R.H.G. Bonnycastle School in the Pembina Trails School Division. The original school was designed by IKOY in 1977 and is a 2 storey classroom block with half storey administration and library wing separated by an atrium. At the time, they incorporated accessibility by designing a long ramp through the atrium called “the Walking Street” that connected the main floor, half storey and second storey balcony outside the classroom wings. The original ramp was too steep, and not wide enough to meet modern accessibility standards. The ramp was clad in fir and was a heavy presence in the school. The decision was made to remove the ramp to the upper storey and replace it with a modern elevator at the front of the school. The addition allowed for a new modern entrance, and open communication stair. To connect the administration and library half storey a new ramp was built at the library and bridge from the new communication stair across the previous main entrance was built to connect the administration area. The elevator has double sided access with 3 stops to provide an accessible access to the half storey and second storey. New wood cladding was stained to match the remaining wood cladding as a homage to the original IKOY design.