In the late summer of 2015, Peter Pitseolak High School in Cape Dorset, Nunavut was destroyed by fire. It was a devastating setback for this tightly-knit community of 1,400 people. Not only did this directly affect the 150 students and 22 staff members, but also the many community members and organizations that used the high school building for meetings and cultural events.
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🏆 Winner
Global Future Design Awards 2021
Peter Pitseolak High School
Educational Architecture Built
Firm
Parkin Architects Limited
Architect/Designer
Parkin Architects Limited
Design Team
Robert Boraks, Justin Leclair
Location
Cape Dorset, Nunavut
Country
Canada
Photographer/Copyright
©Gerry Kopelow
The Design Build Concept
In the case of the new Cape Dorset High School, the team was able to remove six months of design and development reviews and eight months of construction from the overall timeline. The result was that this approach removed nearly two Arctic construction seasons from an otherwise standard construction schedule. In remote Arctic communities, this would be unthinkable.
An Aggressive Build Timeline
In April 2017, just twenty months after the original high school was destroyed, major work began on laying the foundation for the new school. Permafrost and Arctic ground conditions often make foundation construction complicated and time-consuming. The most common type of foundation is a raised structure on steel piles, allowing builders to work around the limitations and impact of permafrost. Using this approach, and working seamlessly with all design build partners, the initial foundation was built in record time. Once the concrete foundation was installed, the steel superstructure followed directly behind.
The pace and efficiency of construction continued throughout the summer, taking advantage of the warmer months. By the spring of 2018, less than a year after construction started, all interior finishing work was nearing completion – nearly six to eight months ahead of a standard construction schedule. Proudly, the Design Build team was able to complete the project in just 16 months, virtually unheard of for a building of this size and type, in such a location.
New Design Principles Used in Cape Dorset
The use of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) design principles is critically important when considering the design of these spaces. For Cape Dorset High School, our primary objective was to design a welcoming and accessible space to facilitate learning, while keeping in mind that many program spaces would also be used by the community. In such a small and remote community, it’s very important for a building to have a multitude of functions while also supporting the community’s need for communal spaces.
The key design feature of the school is the central gathering area, which is used by the staff and students throughout the day. Included in this space is a combination of built-in seating, and cultural and school display cases which provide the opportunity for school gatherings and community events. The use of natural light and colours creates a welcoming space for both students, staff and the community. A double-sided stage provides a venue for cultural events and has proximity and connection to a fitness centre, canteen, resource centre and, of course, multi-purpose classrooms.
Remarkably, Cape Dorset High School opened to students for the start of their school year in August 2018, one full year ahead of similar traditionally designed and constructed buildings.
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