Notre Dame Collegiate, 2014, High River, Alberta, 3,730 sqm., restoration
Notre Dame Collegiate in High River was affected by the June 2013 flood. The project involved a complete restoration, renovation, and an addition to suit the school’s current educational needs. The exterior envelope needed to be entirely rebuilt due to damage from the flood; the wall assemblies were redesigned and constructed to minimize damage that might occur due to any future flooding.
Originally built as an elementary school, the facility was used as a high school for 10 years prior to the flood. The restoration provided the opportunity to rework the layout and to modernize the spaces to better suit a high school’s needs, with the intent of providing a more sophisticated design aesthetic. Additionally, as the flood had a profound impact on the residents of the Town of High River, it was psychologically important to provide a new look to the school to provide some hope and excitement to the members of the community, as well as a sense of revitalization and recovery.