St. Lorenzo Ruiz Middle School expands educational opportunities within the Kentwood neighbourhood of Red Deer, providing modern learning and support spaces for 737 students and associated staff. The two-storey facility delivers approximately 6,713 m² of permanent space and is designed to achieve LEED Silver certification. Guided by 21st Century Learning principles, the school emphasizes flexibility, transparency, sustainability, and strong connections between students, educators, and the broader community. From the outset, the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) team established shared core values to support collaboration and align design outcomes with the client’s educational goals.
The school’s design centralizes key academic and community functions while supporting a wide range of teaching and learning styles, including project-based, collaborative, seminar-based, and individualized instruction. Classrooms are organized into four learning pods, each supported by teacher collaboration areas and student breakout spaces. Traditional support spaces were strategically reallocated to create a mix of open and enclosed learning environments throughout the school. Specialized program areas include CTS spaces for woodshop and foods/fashion, a large band and drama room, and a semi-open learning commons that flows into adjacent flexible spaces.