École La Vallée

École La Vallée is a mass timber K-12 public school and childcare centre that is currently under construction in Pemberton, BC on the unceded territories of the L̓il̓wat7úl (Líl̓wat Nation). Nestled in the dramatic river valley and surrounded by rich biodiversity, the new 47,000 SF facility will provide a contemporary learning environment for the school district, and inclusive hub for the local community. Supporting a spectrum of pedagogical requirements and creating a range of community assets, the facility is complete with a regulation-size gymnasium, library with views to the vast landscape, teaching kitchen and dining area, multipurpose room equipped for use as a theatre, childcare facility for infants and toddlers, and a variety of outdoor play areas.

Designed in collaboration with Principle Architecture, the school is a hybrid mass timber structure developed through British Columbia’s Wood First Program. Constructed with a panel system of CLT walls and floors in conjunction with glulam beams, the building meets the rigorous seismic requirements of the pacific northwest with large span column free spaces. Through a process of thoughtful detailing, advanced coordination, and precision pre-fabrication, the project blends locally sourced materials and robust assemblies into a cost effective but sophisticated school that responds to the rich context of Pemberton while providing a warm, playful, and durable facility for the community.

Client: Conseil Scolaire Francophone de la Colombie Britannique (SD93)
Location: Pemberton, BC
Completion: 2026
Team: Local Practice with Principle Architecture (Architecture), Fast+Epp (Structural Engineering), Rocky Point Engineering (Mechanical Engineering), CIMA+ (Electrical Engineering), Gauthier & Associates (Landscape Architecture), McElhanney (Civil Engineering)
Photography: Andrew Latreille