Brantford
W. Ross MacDonald School for the Blind
Client
Ontario Realty Corporation
Budget
$9 Million
Size
33,100 sf.
Completed
January 2005
Delivery Model
Design-Bid-Build
Sector
Elementary and Secondary Schools
Architect
G. Bruce Stratton Architects Inc.
The largest facility of its kind in Canada, the W. Ross MacDonald School provides both elementary and secondary education to students with a variety of challenges – blindness (or partial blindness) being common to all. Constructed around the active campus, work on the facilities included an expansion and addition to the existing school.
During construction, additional precautions were implemented to warn the students of impending construction dangers, including audible warnings, high contrast colours and tactile warnings in addition to signage.
Various specifications to this project included oversized corridors (at 10′ wide) and doors (at 42”), which facilitate sight-diminished navigation. In addition to this, the building’s lighting is controlled to produce minimal glare and is geared toward flexible lighting conditions. Finish materials include clear maple hardwood floors, gold cleft slate, porcelain tile, and polished concrete.
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