Building for a Rapidly Growing Community
Langley is experiencing one of the fastest population booms in British Columbia, with families choosing the region for its welcoming neighbourhoods, accessibility, and proximity to natural spaces. That rapid growth has created an urgent demand for new learning environments. The Province of British Columbia has invested more than $583 million into Langley schools since 2017, including nearly 5,000 new student spaces and more than 1,500 seismically safe seats.
In 2025, the Province announced the opening of more than 900 new K–12 seats across Langley—part of a long-term plan to ensure students have the modern, inspiring learning spaces they deserve. Among those spaces is the new 200-seat modular addition at Nicomekl Elementary School, a pivotal investment for Langley City families and a project that showcases how modular construction can rapidly meet educational demand without sacrificing design, quality, or long-term value.
ROC Modular, in collaboration with Tasu Construction, MAKE Projects, Turner Construction, and Thinkspace Architecture, delivered a two-storey modular addition designed to alleviate enrollment pressures while creating a safe, flexible, and future-ready learning environment.
The result is more than a building. It’s a community asset designed for the next generation of Langley learners.
Project Overview
Project: Nicomekl Elementary School – Classroom Addition
Client: Langley School District #35
Architect: Thinkspace Architecture
Manufacturing: ROC Modular Inc.
Modules: 16
Total Area: 11,520 sq ft
Production Start: January 2025
Occupancy: September 2025
Key Partners: Tasu Construction, MAKE Projects, Turner Construction
This fast-tracked delivery demonstrates the power of modern modular construction to bring new seats online quickly, while schools remain fully operational and communities continue to grow.
Architectural Excellence
The Nicomekl Elementary addition is a two-storey, 16-module, 11,520 sq ft structure that expands the school’s capacity with a contemporary, highly functional learning environment. Designed by Thinkspace Architecture, the building includes:
- 8 modern classrooms
- A dedicated quiet room
- Resource and learning support spaces
- Washrooms, offices, and administrative areas
- A welcoming foyer and circulation zones
- Support and storage areas designed for operational efficiency
The layout was intentionally crafted with student flow in mind. Clear sightlines, wide corridors, and logical adjacencies minimize congestion during transitions while supporting safe and intuitive movement throughout the building.
Interior Experience
Interiors strike a balance between durability and comfort—important for high-use educational spaces. Natural light fills the classrooms, supported by modern LED systems that enhance learning and reduce energy consumption. Flexible finishes allow teachers to adapt their spaces to different learning styles and instructional approaches.
Acoustic considerations, resilient flooring, and robust millwork contribute to longevity and low maintenance, ensuring the District receives a high-value, performance-driven asset.
Exterior Design and Integration
Externally, the addition intentionally complements the existing school’s architecture while introducing a clean, contemporary aesthetic. Subtle tonal variations, thoughtful massing, and a balanced façade create cohesion without mimicry. The two-storey volume sits comfortably within the existing campus, preserving play areas and maximizing green space.
The result is a visually appealing, functional, and community-centred design that supports both learning and after-hours use.
Technical Innovation & Sustainability
The Nicomekl project exemplifies why modular construction has become a strategic solution for rapidly growing school districts across BC.
Off-Site Construction Advantage
To address Langley’s record enrolment growth, the District pursued modular delivery to accelerate timelines while maintaining quality. ROC Modular leveraged its controlled off-site manufacturing facility to produce modules with a high degree of completion, including:
- Integrated millwork
- Fully constructed washrooms
- Mechanical and electrical systems
- Interior finishes
- Pre-installed windows, doors, and insulation
By moving this work off-site, construction took place in parallel with on-site civil and foundation work… reducing overall schedules and minimizing disruption on the active school campus.
Enhanced Structural Solutions
One of the key design features was the inclusion of structural steel beams at mate-line openings, enabling open, column-free classrooms. These wide-open learning environments provide flexibility for teachers and support modern pedagogical approaches.
The addition also incorporates a fully integrated elevator system, significantly improving accessibility and aligning with universal design principles.
Energy-Efficient and Sustainable Systems
The project uses energy-efficient mechanical systems and resource-conscious materials that support the District’s sustainability goals. High-performance insulation, LED lighting, and efficient HVAC strategies reduce operational costs while enhancing comfort.
Modular construction itself inherently reduces waste, improves resource efficiency, and supports cleaner, safer work environments. Materials are protected from weather exposure, quality control is enhanced, and the need for repeat on-site mobilization is reduced.
Seamless Multi-Partner Delivery
The Nicomekl project benefited from strong collaboration between:
- ROC Modular – manufacturing and modular engineering
- Tasu Construction – turnkey modular installation, interior finishes, service connections
- MAKE Projects – project management
- Turner Construction – site and construction integration
- Thinkspace Architecture – design and educational planning
This collective expertise ensured precise coordination from shop drawings to crane day to turnover.
As Callum Norrish, Vice President at Tasu Construction, noted:
“It’s always rewarding to collaborate on projects that support growing communities and expand access to education.”
Cost Effectiveness
The project was shaped by early alignment between ROC Modular, the Langley School District, Tasu Construction, and the design team to ensure scope, budget, and schedule were locked in upfront.
Modular Efficiencies
Several factors contributed to meaningful cost efficiency:
- Standardized modular grids
- Repeatable classroom layouts
- Optimized fabrication workflows
- Reduced design complexity
- Concurrent site and off-site construction
- High-completion modules minimizing on-site labour
Long-Term Value
Durable educational finishes and robust building systems reduce lifetime maintenance costs. Efficient mechanical systems lower operating expenses while improving comfort. The building’s modular grid also provides a template for future additions across the District, creating a scalable delivery model for years to come.
Rapid Installation
One of the most visible efficiencies occurred during installation:
The 16 modules were craned into place in just three days.
This rapid deployment minimized disruptions for students, staff, and surrounding neighbourhoods while allowing the District to bring new spaces online quickly under a fast-track delivery schedule.
Community Impact
The addition at Nicomekl Elementary is part of a much larger wave of investment in Langley schools. In the words of Provincial leaders:
“As more families choose Langley, we are focused on building new and expanded schools to serve the community for generations to come.”
– Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure
“These new and expanded schools are about more than just buildings—they are inspiring spaces where students can learn, explore, and reach their full potential.”
– Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care
“These new spaces will play a key role in easing enrollment pressures across our rapidly growing district.”
– Candy Ashdown, Chair, Langley Board of Education
The Nicomekl addition gives Langley City families 200 more seats and part of 900 opening district-wide this fall and another 3,000+ already in planning or construction.
Demonstrating Modular Excellence at Scale
The Nicomekl Elementary School classroom addition is a strong example of how modular construction can meet urgent educational needs while delivering exceptional design, durability, and long-term value.
Through the combined efforts of ROC Modular, Tasu Construction, MAKE Projects, Turner Construction, Thinkspace Architecture, and the Langley School District, the project achieved:
- An accelerated schedule with minimal campus disruption
- High-quality, flexible learning spaces
- Improved accessibility and energy efficiency
- Strong cost control and replicable design strategies
- A community asset built to serve Langley families for decades
As the District continues to grow, the Nicomekl addition stands as a model for future modular school projects across British Columbia—proving that innovation, partnership, and modern modular methods can deliver top-tier educational environments quickly, responsibly, and at scale.
