Bayview Elementary School

Bayview Elementary School, located in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood, is a two-story, 3,687-square-metre mass-timber structure designed by Francl Architecture. The school accommodates 365 students, featuring a preschool, two kindergarten classrooms, and 13 classrooms for grades one through seven. The lower level houses administrative offices, classrooms, two multipurpose rooms, and a large gymnasium, while the upper level contains additional classrooms and the library.

Kalesnikoff supplied the prefabricated CLT (SPF) and glulam (DFL) components, enabling rapid on-site assembly and reducing disruption to the surrounding neighbourhood. The building utilizes cross-laminated timber (CLT) for its exterior and structural walls, floors, and roof, complemented by glue-laminated (glulam) columns and beams. Designed with sustainability in mind, the project delivers a net CO₂ benefit of 1,137 metric tons through the use of locally sourced, renewable timber. The CLT system serves dual purposes, functioning as both gravity and shear walls to meet the region’s seismic requirements. In the gymnasium and multipurpose spaces, a composite double-T design combines CLT with glulam beams to create 16-meter-long spanning panels.

The design prioritizes collaborative learning, with widened corridors that incorporate breakout rooms, seating areas, and flexible spaces for informal learning. The mass-timber construction not only ensures structural efficiency but also adds warmth and character to the interior spaces.

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Photos of finished build by Captureful Studio