School is in session at Ta’talu Elementary

School is in session at Ta’talu Elementary School in the Grandview Heights neighbourhood of Surrey. Occupancy for this new school was originally scheduled for January 2025, but the design and construction team – in conjunction with staff from Surrey School District #36 – was able to complete work ahead of schedule and get students into the building in September 2024.

Ta’talu has learning spaces for 575 grades 1 to 7 students and 80 kindergartens, spread over 27 classrooms. The school’s name, which was gifted by the Semiahmoo First Nation, means Little Campbell River. The three-storey hybrid mass timber building is the first of its kind in the Surrey School District. Key multi-purpose spaces – including the gymnasium and learning commons – are situated within a three-story atrium at the heart of the building; two wings off the central atrium function as neighborhoods, with each floor accommodating five classrooms. The efficient stacking of these classrooms serves both economical purposes and allows for effective use of mass timber. This innovative new school also includes maker spaces, project spaces, and two additional rooms for child care.

There were a number of unique opportunities for the design team to get creative with this project. One significant challenge was ensuring proper acoustic requirements and separation, due to the gymnasium being centrally located within the school rather than on the periphery. The team worked hard to ensure the school was welcoming to everyone with inclusive (gender neutral) washrooms that cater to all students’ needs; the choice to go with inclusive washrooms was made after exploring several different options.

Maximizing play area on the tight urban site also presented a challenge. The site size is below Ministry standards for schools of this capacity, but the team was committed to design spaces where nature play and outdoor learning are both integral and emphasized. The school grounds include a large playground, gravel field, outdoor basketball court, and various natural features to explore and play on, as well as an outdoor learning environment for both students and staff.

The decision to use mass timber also added a level of complexity to the project. Varying interpretations regarding combustible versus non-combustible construction methods necessitated multiple alternate solutions, while still adhering to performance-based code approaches. The design team worked closely with the authorities having jurisdiction, and in the end was able to deliver a safe, structurally sound, and aesthetically pleasing school using a hybrid mass timber approach.

Initial feedback about the school has been very positive, especially from school principal, Sabrina Niro. “I told our students we have the most beautiful school in BC,” said Ms. Niro. “The architecture is pretty magnificent and we’re very lucky that we get that for an elementary school.”

Ta’talu is the third new school that Thinkspace has delivered for SD #36 in the South Surrey / White Rock zone in recent years: Douglas Elementary was completed in November 2020 and Edgewood Elementary was completed in January 2021.

For more information and photos on this school, check out the Ta’talu project page.