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Alvin Reinhard Fritz Architect Inc.
RR8 S28 C14
5801 1st Avenue South
Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 4P4
T: 403.320.8100
F: 403.327.3373
Jennie Emery Elementary School,Coaldale, Alberta |
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The Jennie Emery Elementary School in Coaldale was designed in close collaboration with the potential end users of the facility. Numerous teachers within the system were interviewed to secure an understanding of the user needs. The research was documented in the form of an Architectural and Functional Program, which outlined the details of each school department requirements and formed the basis for design. The Jennie Emery School was constructed under budget at a time when other similar schools in the area at about the same time were typically constructed 20% over budget. In spite of this consideration, Jennie Emery has a greater number of amenities and features than its contemporary counterparts. |
Centre scolaire et communautaire de Lethbridge,Lethbridge, Alberta |
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The site chosen for the French School & Community Centre is ideally located for profile and exposure in Lethbridge. Bringing two different user groups together, with different functions, in the same facility created exciting dynamics which challenged all involved to unique problem solving, and vigorous collaboration. Close communication between the two stakeholders and ARFAI effectively accommodated the specific requirements of both the School & the Community Centre. Some spaces were dedicated to the School, others to the Community Centre, and still others were jointly shared. This need led to interesting design, configuration, and control mechanism exercises which eventually afforded accessibility to these spaces for day and night usage, and an excellent functional solution. |
Medicine Hat Christian School Addition & Modernization,Medicine Hat, Alberta |
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The Medicine Hat Christian School has undertaken a number of additions in the last 10-15 years. Alvin Reinhard Fritz Architect Inc. was privileged to design the most recent addition to the north of the existing school that was initiated to meet the need for a larger library, a kitchen, and change rooms next to the gymnasium. The design process involved looking at the long term needs of the school and creating a design with two phases to accomplish the school’s goals. Phase 1 involved the addition of the library, kitchen and change rooms. The design of the roof above these rooms allowed for a mezzanine level to be accomodated in phase 2 where new bleachers for the gym would be added. In phase 1, the windows for phase 2 were framed in with rough openings and the structure was designed to support the load of the future mezzanine level. Phase 2 will also include a new exterior façade on the gymnasium to match the exterior finishes on phase 1. The budget for this project was low and Alvin Reinhard Fritz Architect Inc. were tasked to be creative in the design and throughout the construction process to keep the project on budget. By working closely with the client, consultants, planning officials, and contractors, Alvin Reinhard Fritz Architect Inc. was able to keep the cost for this project at a minimum even with additional costs incurred by unforeseen existing building construction and site conditions. |
Digital Arts Recording Studio,Lethbridge, Alberta |
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The University of Lethbridge required a world-class facility for audio capture to facilitate a new degree program in digital audio arts. This specialized project required a team of designers from ARFAI and Kaufmann & Associates of Van Nuys, California. Jay Kaufmann had previously worked for Ocean Way Recording in Santa Monica, and SMS Digital Post before starting his own independent practice in 2005. This team of professionals brought the vast amount of experience needed to create this impressive facility. The attention to detail paid off, according to Lawrence Malcose of Solid State Logic: “The form creates a seamless marriage of organic textures and the most modern technology. Simple accents like adding to the darker wood flooring by framing it in lighter wood and using warm earthy fabric tones make for a comfortable, creative environment. The centerpiece Solid State Logic Duality stands proud amongst the confident angles and warm lighting of the control room and the performance area beyond the glass. It also appears that the challenges of sound isolation and infrastructure accomodation were handled with aplomb.” |
Lethbridge Christian School,Lethbridge, Alberta |
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The design for the Lethbridge Christian School was based on the layout of the Jennie Emery Elementary School designed previously by Alvin Fritz Architect Inc. in the County of Lethbridge. ARFAI found the layout at Jennie Emery to be so effective and admired that they incorporated many of those effective elements in the Lethbridge Christian School design. The circulation was structured around a centralized gym which worked effectively with the building’s massing as the scale of the building stepped down to the classrooms, ancillary and support spaces at the building periphery. One of the most effective pre-emptive elements of design at the Lethbridge Christian School was the ability to expand the gymnasium. Due to cost savings through economical design ARFAI was able to ensure that the north wall of the gym was constructed in panelized construction such that it could be readily removed and the gym could be doubled in size in the future. An attractive library with a bonus space in the form of a mezzanine further allowed the school to benefit from the ability to stack space leveraging the budget to maximize the floor area while creating a bonus space that could be enjoyed by teachers and students alike. The attractive massing which scales down to the perimeter, and the gables which resulted from the classroom alcoves, create an attractive and highly functional school effectively serving its constituents. |
Vibrant Digital Web Design Lethbridge
