Surrey School District Outdoor Space Study

Defining outdoor space needs for Surrey schools in an urbanizing context.

THE CHALLENGE

The Surrey School District is located in one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities and serves the largest student population in British Columbia. With ongoing urbanization and land use intensification, the District is seeking creative ways to deliver new schools to support the growing community. “Vertical” schools are being explored, and the School District sought to: clearly articulate the role, value and current provision of outdoor spaces; and, to establish guidelines for outdoor spaces that ensure the standards of student learning, health, and social and physical development are maintained.

THE RESPONSE

MODUS was engaged by the Surrey School District to undertake a study to assess the typical provision of outdoor space at existing Surrey schools today, to explore how outdoor space is being provided vertical school case studies in comparable communities, and to develop a set of initial guidelines and recommendations on for outdoor space requirements in future mixed-use developments. MODUS conducted a desktop analysis of Surrey schools, measuring outdoor space by type: playfields, playgrounds, courts, and other areas. Case study schools from comparable urban contexts—both local and international—were selected, the same spatial analysis was applied, and interviews were conducted with three schools in the Lower Mainland and one in Toronto. Drawing on insights from the analyses, MODUS developed recommendations to guide future outdoor space provision in vertical schools.

Client

Surrey School District

Collaborators

Holly Alyea