August 10, 2016

Several schools win design awards

Photo courtesy of DLR Group/Chris J. Roberts Photography [enlarge]

DLR Group designed A.G. Bell Elementary in Kirkland.

Photo by Jeff Amram Photography [enlarge]

Shorewood High School was designed by Bassetti Architects.

Lake Washington School District and DLR Group won the 2016 Polished Apple Award for A.G. Bell Elementary School in Kirkland from the Washington Chapter of the Association for Learning Environments.

DLR Group designed the two-story, 65,306-square-foot school at 11212 N.E. 112th St. in Kirkland to replace an older building.

Olympia School District and TCF Architecture won a merit award in the program, which honors the planning and design of educational facilities. They won for Olympia Regional Learning Academy in Olympia.

Shoreline School District and Bassetti Architects won a merit award for Shorewood High School in Shoreline.

Lake Washington School District and Mahlum won a people's choice award for John Muir Elementary School in Kirkland.

The jury was Susan Bell of Touchet School District, Gregory Brown of OAC Services and Rod Knipper of KDF Architecture. The people's choice award was chosen by people who attended the annual chapter conference.

On A.G. Bell Elementary, DLR Group also did interior design as well as structural, mechanical and electrical engineering. The team included Coughlin Porter Lundeen, civil engineering; Aspen Design Group, landscape architecture; SSA Acoustics, acoustics; JLR Design Group, food service; Cornerstone General Contractors, general contractor; and Heery International, owner's representative.

The school can serve up to 550 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.

The 9.5-acre site has significant slopes, and is surrounded by forest and wetland. Construction required phasing and integration with the neighboring Kirkland Trail System.

The design leaves the forest intact and has roof canopies, staggered elevations, sun shades and light-diffusing glass, which DLR said enhance the learning environments and community connections.

The school exceeded the Washington Sustainable Schools Protocol. It has solar panels, high-efficiency boilers, rain gardens and sun shades and is oriented for both sun control and daylighting.