Renovation project over the summer

We were extremely excited to welcome our students back for the new school year, even more so than usual years - we happily revealed the newly renovated learning spaces! 

Canadian Academy is partway through our 3-year project to renovate the whole school building, and this summer, we renovated the Elementary Wing and one of the dormitory houses.

Among many features of the new elementary wing, flexibility and spaciousness are the overarching keywords. When asked about the concept of the Elementary wing renovation, Heikki Soini, our Elementary School Principal, and Jonathan Calvert, our Director of Finance, shared the ideas behind the renovation. 

‘The journey towards flexible learning spaces underscores our commitment to providing an educational environment that aligns with the diverse and evolving needs of our students.' 

'The concept of flexibility in learning spaces has transformed traditional classrooms into dynamic arenas of engagement, enabling personalized learning experiences that cater to individual preferences and learning styles. This evolution recognizes that each student is unique, and as such, our renovated Elementary School places adaptability at the forefront of its design.’

The classrooms are purposefully tailored to empower student-centered learning. They are equipped with adaptable furniture at varying heights, multi-functional surfaces that can be rearranged to suit various activities, and whiteboard walls that encourage interactive learning experiences.

The hallways were also widened so that this space could serve not only as a hallway but also as a collaborative learning space. This open space can accommodate various types of collaboration, such as students working in smaller groups, pull-out classes, one-on-one teacher-student interactions, and grade-level gatherings. All the classrooms and the collaborative space are enclosed for temperature control, ensuring that our students and teachers can work with comfort throughout the year.

If you go into a classroom, you will see the room has a lot of curvy elements. By introducing curves to an otherwise angular structure, we've established a visual language that promotes connectivity and fluidity, mirroring the interconnectedness of knowledge itself. We also incorporated Japanese design elements, such as bamboo and tatami, not only as aesthetic features but also as a nod to our surroundings and the values they represent.

We are very proud of our new elementary classrooms and cannot wait to witness exciting learning experiences there! Please check our article ‘Welcome to our new Boarding students!’ to learn about our Boarding house renovation.