Ta-Otha Community School

1. 2010 Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture Ta-Otha Community School Location: Bighorn, Alberta, Canada Category of Entry: Kindergarten-Grade 12 Award Type: New Construction Firm Name: The Workun Garrick Partnership Architecture and Interior Design Inc.

2. Ta-Otha Community School

3. Ta-Otha Community School Site Plan

4. Exterior-Front Elevation Community Environment: Initial programming for the Ta’Otha Community School began with the Stoney Education Authority School Committee and Indian & Northern Affairs Canada. The new Ta’Otha School is designed to accommodate Kindergarten and Grades One to Twelve. Based on a student enrolment projection of 208 students, it was established that a 2458 m2 (26,458 sq. ft.) school would be required. The new Ta’Otha Community School site is central to the Big Horn Reserve as students travel to and from the school by bus. The school project provided two ‘spin-off’ projects for the Big Horn Community. A new water treatment plant and water lines essential to the new school and community , plus a Original Bighorn School Bighorn’s New School

5. Central Gathering Space new sewage treatment facility to serve the school and future community buildings. Prior to construction of the school, Band Members were employed to clear the school site. During construction of the Ta’Otha School up to sixteen Band Members were employed on a regular basis by the general contractor and sub-contractors. The Student Gathering Space is central to the school plan and is flanked by activity spaces that will serve the students and the community. The gathering space is the ‘cafeteria’ for the school lunch program, a location for community receptions and a ‘crush space’ for gymnasium functions. The library, computer classroom and home economics classrooms are located adjacent to the Student Gathering Space and also serve the community.

6. Community Gathering Learning Environment: The classrooms and support spaces reflect the needs of the Kindergarten through to the Grade 12 programs taught at the Ta’Otha School. Five of the standard classrooms have shared access to smaller ‘literacy’ rooms. Here individual or small groups of students can receive mentoring from teaching staff or assistants drawn from the community. The literacy program has helped students make significant strides in reading and writing skills to keep pace with the provincial school program. Each classroom is equipped with computer stations, whiteboards, tackboards and individual student lockers. The library is centrally located and connected to the computer classroom. Both spaces provide opportunities for students to improve reading skills and aid in research for school projects.

7. Elders Using Teepee The music room is connected to the gymnasium by an overhead garage style door. Stage curtains flank the proscenium opening so the music room can double as a stage for school concerts, drama or graduations. Whiteboards, data and power outlets will allow this room to function as a regular classroom. Several classrooms are equipped with ‘smartboards’ to provide teaching staff with outside access to school programs available on the internet delivered to the Ta’Otha School via satellite service. The home economics classroom provides spaces for the fashion studies and food studies program. It also serves as the food preparation area for the student lunch program which is operated by community members. The ECS classroom contains its own washroom, coat room/cubby area, storage room and a small kitchen area to prepare student snacks.

8. Interior-Teepee Physical Environment - The Ta’Otha Community School has numerous physical attributes that relate well to the Kindergarten to Grade 12 student population, staff and community members. Located in the small First Nation Community of Big Horn, the school is the focus of the social, educational and recreational activity for the community. To provide a stimulating environment for staff and students within the Rocky Mountain context, the school features large expanses of glazing to bring in natural light and provide numerous views to the mountains and surrounding forest. Classroom windows provide natural light, views and are equipped with ventilation units to bring in fresh air. Three linear vaulted skylights above the library and student gathering space allow an abundance of natural light into the central community space.

9. Teepee Material finishes on the interior and exterior of the school are designed to withstand higher than usual wear and tear expected in a school. Concrete bock is used on all interior wall surfaces. The exterior split face concrete block and stucco finishes are a durable, colourful and comfortable fit in the mountain environment. The geometry of the plan and angular, curved elevations contrast magnificently with the pure white form of the Tee Pee. At night the interior lighting and translucent panels allow the Stoney’s choice of cultural expression to be prominent as you approach the school. The Tee Pee also provides a quiet refuge for Elders during community gathering and feasts at the school.

10. Exterior Elevations IMAGE Planning Process: Design meetings included input from Band Elders, Students, Teachers and members of the School Committee. The Design Team along with the School Committee met with Elders of the Big Horn Community to receive suggestions for cultural elements they considered important to the included in the design of the Ta’Otha School. The consensus of the Elders was to express the traditional Tee Pee form in elevation and functionally as a cultural room for the school and community. Staff and students of the existing school provided a ‘power point’ presentation of student ideas they wished to see included in the new school.

11. Interior Images To maintain a connection with students who will attend the new school, student representatives attended construction site meetings. The students introduced themselves and were encouraged to express their thoughts on the new school. Back at school they could share their observations with classmates, teachers and parents. The construction of the Ta’Otha Community School was significant event for the Big Horn Community. For many years community members waited for a school to be funded and built that met the community’s educational needs. The planning, design and ultimately the construction of the new school involved the entire community. The ultimate goal of the school is to foster a positive learning environment where students can achieve a high school education.

12. Floor plan

13. Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2010 Project Data

14. Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2010 Project Details

15. Additional Photos

16. Additional Photos

17. Original Massing Model

18. Design Renders

19. New Students of Bighorn