York House Senior School

Acton Ostry Architects, Inc., Canada

Founded in 1932, York House is a leading independent K‑12 school for girls located in the Shaughnessy neighborhood of Vancouver. Completed in 2013, the Senior School addition provides a symbolic entry point to the greater York House campus through a soaring colored-glass portal and skylit-atrium circulation crossroads that connects the various wings of the school. Vivid, vertical sunshades accentuate the striking presence of the school in the neighborhood.

Drawing on the rich history of West Coast Modernism, the 3 350 square meter addition includes classrooms, administration, and social and study spaces. State-of-the-art, 21st-century learning and teaching spaces are collaborative, adaptable, and flexible with places for informal student and teacher interaction. The central atrium features a generous, day-lit concourse that provides a unified circulation system for the campus that facilitates dynamic interactions throughout the school day.

Finishes are simple and spare throughout: board-formed concrete, natural wood, glass, and limestone. A donor recognition program features the names of thousands of women, selected by the students, that are screen-printed onto the myriad glass guards that delineate the circulation routes throughout the atrium crossroads. The names include inspirational alumnae and famous women that serve to connect the historic continuity of the school and the students’ aspirations for the global community.

Surfaces are designed to promote multiple uses. Continuous, sliding glass writing surfaces screen storage recesses. Painted whiteboard walls provide extensive areas for student work and displays. Social locker zones feature vibrant, glass-clad lockers. The project follows best practices in sustainable design and is built to the equivalent of LEED Gold® certification.

Originally appeared in Modus News 7