February 3, 2017

Kids get preview of new school from Lego model built by Forma

Photo from Forma Construction [enlarge]

How do you get kids interested in construction?

Forma Construction Co. found a solution: You build a scale model of their new school out of Lego blocks.

Forma project engineer Jessie Robertson and her friend Bre Burns unveiled the model of the replacement Lake Wilderness Elementary School last month to the kids. The pair spent 300 hours designing and building the model out of 15,000 bricks.

The model also gives Forma an opportunity to teach kids about how a real world project uses math and science skills they are learning in class.

Forma is building the 95,000-square-foot school adjacent to the existing school, at 24216 Witte Road S.E. in Maple Valley. The existing school houses about 1,200 students and the new school will house 750. The drop in enrollment will result from a redistricting move that will send many Lake Wilderness students to other schools.

Tacoma-based TCF Architecture designed the school with three wood-framed classroom wings and one CMU wing housing administration offices and a gym.

The new school will open this fall and the old school, built in 1959, will be demolished over the summer. Forma reports that construction costs are $32.5 million. It is working under a GC/CM contract with the Tahoma School District.

Crews are now installing drywall, framing, MEP systems, the building envelope and site improvements.

Here are the consultants: PCS Structural Solutions, structural; AHBL, civil; Metrix Engineers, mechanical; BCE Engineers, electrical; and OAC, construction and project management.

Major subcontractors are JSB Contractors, Titan Earthwork, Lakeridge Paving Co., J&S Masonry, Cascade Construction Co., Al's Welding & Steel Fabrication, ProSteel, Engineered Wood Solutions, Wood Tech Services, Wayne's Roofing, Insulation Contractors, King Sheet Metal, D.L. Henricksen Co., Acoustics Northwest, Beresford Co., ThyssenKrupp, Barclay Dean Architectural Products, Pacific Cabinets, Columbia Fire, Eagle Harbor Associates, Crescent Sheet Metal, Premier Power Electric, Earthscapes NW and Northwest Playground Equipment.

Forma President Jim Phillips came up with the Lego idea and enlisted Robertson to build it. Robertson is a 3-D modeling expert with a mechanical engineering degree and a lifelong interest in Legos.

Robertson and Burns, another Lego enthusiast, used Navisworks modeling software to convert the project plans into a Lego digital design. The model has a library, playground and even a school bus.