Located on the Sheshegwaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island, the Sheshegwaning Elementary School has been designed to provide a healthy, welcoming and culturally supportive learning environment for students while serving as an important gathering place for the broader community. Replacing an aging school, the approximately 16,500 sq. ft. facility includes five classrooms, flexible community spaces and areas for ceremonies and cultural events, supporting both the Sheshegwaning and neighbouring Zhiibaahaasing First Nations.
Developed through extensive collaboration with community members, the project reflects Indigenous approaches to land stewardship and creates spaces that foster belonging, connection and learning.
Community-Driven Design, Built with Mass Timber
Mass timber was selected as the building’s primary structural system to create a warm, biophilic environment that supports student well-being while reducing the building’s embodied carbon. The single-storey post-and-beam structure utilizes cross-laminated timber (CLT) wall panels together with exposed Glulam beams and columns to create inviting interior spaces that celebrate the natural beauty of wood.
Beyond its architectural warmth, the prefabricated mass timber system offers significant construction advantages. Precision-manufactured CLT and glulam components improve quality control, reduce material waste and enable rapid on-site installation, while sustainably sourced wood stores carbon for the life of the building. The result is a high-performance school designed to support both environmental stewardship and long-term community resilience.
Element5’s Contribution
Element5 supplied and manufactured the project’s structural mass timber system, including approximately 672 m³ of cross-laminated timber (CLT) and 266 m³ of Glulam for the structural frame. In addition to fabrication, Element5 provided LOD modelling, connection design, project management and logistics coordination, working closely with Prosperi and the broader project team to support efficient delivery and installation.
By combining advanced off-site manufacturing with collaborative design and engineering, Element5 helped deliver a building that demonstrates the potential of mass timber to create healthier educational spaces while supporting Indigenous-led community development.
As more schools seek sustainable, low-carbon construction solutions, Sheshegwaning Elementary School stands as an example of how mass timber can contribute to beautiful, high-performance learning environments.
