General Gordon Elementary is an existing school which was built in phases between 1912 and 1960.  The existing building had heritage value because of its age and presence in the Kitsilano neighbourhood.  However, it was also considered a very high seismic risk, with its building system past its service life and is educationally deficient.

The new school accommodates 400 elementary and 40 kindergarten students with strong indoor/outdoor relationships. Additionally, a 1440 square-foot preschool with a capacity of 20 children was added as part of the NLC area allocation.  It functions separately from the elementary school; however, the internal connection allows it to use the school facilities when school is not in session. 

The layout of the three-storey school creates a learning environment that meets current and future educational needs. The ground floor is dedicated to the communal spaces; Multipurpose Room, Gym, Library and gathering areas defining spaces for sharing. These include the integration of NLC spaces that can be jointly used by the school and the community. The kindergarten cluster and a preschool component is also located on the ground floor. The second and third floor accommodates four Learning Communities. These Learning Communities are four-classroom clusters arranged around a central commons area with small group rooms maximizing learning flexibility.

The architecture of the building seeks to express the characteristics of 21st century education in an elementary school setting.