Acton Ostry Architects Inc.

York House Senior School

York House Senior School 

Acton Ostry Architects

York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan

GEOTECHNICAL
Exp Associates Inc.

MANUFACTURERS
Parklex International S.l., Vectorworks, Geometrik, Prodema, Sound Solutions

INTERIOR DESIGNER
Gage Babcock & Associates

ENVIRONMENTAL
A.c.m. Environmental

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
Acumen Engineering Pte Ltd.

ACOUSTIC
Daniel Lyzun & Associates

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Pwl Partnership Landscape Architects Inc.

PHOTOGRAPHS
Michael Elkan

AREA
3345 M²

YEAR
2013

LOCATION
Vancouver, Canada

CATEGORY
Educational Architecture, Schools

York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan

Text description provided by architect.

York House School, an independent K–12 for girls, has been located in the heart of Vancouver’s heritage Shaughnessy neighborhood since 1932.

The forward-looking Institute required a new senior school building with a mandate that included the incorporation of energy efficient systems, the maximization of natural lighting, and the provision of flexible workspaces to accommodate 21st-century teaching practices.

York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan
York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan

The new senior school was also required to unify the 144,721ft2 (13,445m2) campus, which comprised several buildings of various styles that had been added over an 80-year span.

The new Senior School provides a strong presence and new entry point for the greater York House campus through a soaring glazed portal, circulation crossroads and atrium space that connects the south, north and east wings of the existing school.

York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan
York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan

The addition includes 36,000 ft2 (3,345m2) of classrooms; administrative and service spaces; social locker zones and lounge areas for students in grades eight through twelve.

Innovative, progressive and collaborative state-of-the-art learning and teaching spaces are adaptable and flexible, with spaces and places for informal student and teacher interaction throughout the day.

The composition and hierarchy of the primary west-facing entry elevation is stepped back at the third story, creating an extensive balcony that reduces apparent scale and relates to the massing of the adjacent north and south wings.

York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan
York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan
York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan

Vivid, wood-finished, vertical sunshades at the west and east elevations provide solar shading and accentuate the striking presence of the building from the street and the campus.

Senior and junior students access the York House campus through a landscaped forecourt featuring a variety of outdoor seating and gathering areas.

York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan
York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan

The area adjacent to the entry will be planted with white roses—the emblem of the school—and the threshold to the school entry is inscribed with the school motto ‘Not for Ourselves Alone’ reinforcing the school’s value of the greater community.

Rain gardens flank the main entry and a gently flowing fountain provides a calm and soothing setting.

York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan
York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan

The coloured glass, steel and wood entry portal provides weather protection, clearly marking the primary access to the campus.

Junior students pass through the sky-lit atrium crossroads, which features several terraced social and informal study spaces, on their way to other areas of the existing school.

York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan
York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan

The central atrium space connects the Senior School to the existing north and south wings though a generous, day-lit concourse, creating dynamic interactions throughout the school day, as well as a unified circulation system for the campus as a whole.

Finish materials are simple and spare with a palette of textured concrete, wood, glass and stone used throughout the facility.

York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan
York House Senior School

The donor recognition program features the names of thousands of famous women, selected by the students that are screen-printed onto the myriad of glass guards delineating the circulation routes throughout the central atrium crossroads.

Built to the equivalent of LEED Gold standard, the project follows best practices in sustainable design through storm water management, energy optimization, passive solar control and day-lighting, resource-efficient building materials, and enhanced indoor air quality and occupant comfort through the stack effect of the central atrium.

York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan


York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan
York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan


York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan
York House Senior School
York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan
York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan
York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan
York House Senior School
© Michael Elkan


York House Senior School
Second Floor Plan
York House Senior School
Second Floor Plan
York House Senior School
Second Floor Plan
York House Senior School
Site Plan


York House Senior School
Ground Floor Plan
York House Senior School
Second Floor Plan
York House Senior School
Second Floor Plan

Acton Ostry Architects Inc.
T +1 604 7393344 F +1 604 7393355
Acton Ostry Architects Inc.
111 E 8th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5T 1R8, Canada