studioHuB Architects is leading the design and construction of the new George Pringle Secondary School in West Kelowna, BC—a complex 11,900 sm facility for 1,200 students, addressing urgent enrolment pressures in School District 23. Currently under construction with steel erected and interior fit-out underway, the school is scheduled for completion in February 2027, delivered under a Design-Build model in collaboration with Clark Builders and a large team of consultants.

Located on the site of the existing middle school, the project required extensive planning and phasing to maintain campus operations throughout construction. The design centers on a dramatic two-storey multipurpose space with a learning stair oriented toward stunning views of Okanagan Lake and the surrounding mountains, creating a dynamic hub for student gathering and community events. The site also includes two full-size sports fields, a stand-alone childcare facility for 36 children, and multiple outdoor learning and gathering spaces, including a large exterior learning stair.

Materials and finishes draw inspiration from the region’s natural beauty and local history, with warm wood accents and a dominant blue accent colour evoking the sky and lake, grounding the building in its unique context.

The school includes a black box theatre, a large Indigenous space with extensive wood finishes, three specialty shops, and flexible 21st-century learning environments such as breakout rooms, support spaces, and indoor-outdoor connections. Community-focused areas like the gymnasium, theatre, learning commons, and Indigenous spaces were designed for secure public use outside school hours, maximizing the building’s value to the wider community.

The project exemplifies exceptional collaboration within the design-build model, requiring close coordination with subconsultants and key subtrades to resolve challenges early, optimize construction sequencing, and ensure alignment with budget and performance goals—ultimately delivering greater value and smoother delivery for the client.

Once complete, George Pringle Secondary will relieve enrolment pressures with a flexible, modern learning environment rich in 21st-century spaces, while providing a welcoming, culturally inclusive, and community-connected facility.