Valley View Middle School
About the project:
DYKEMAN and Dull Olson Weekes Architects were selected to collaborate on a replacement for Valley View Middle School. From the very beginning, the design team was challenged to reach a very high level of sustainability and incorporate options for net-zero energy and net-zero water strategies. The overriding goal was to create a building that would “achieve sustainability and teach stewardship of the environment” as well as be “filled with light and integrated with the natural beauty surrounding it.” This compelling framework was authored by a design committee made up of members of the community as well as faculty and staff from both Snohomish School District middle schools. It was also important to create a place for student centered learning where all areas are learning spaces and the building itself is a teaching tool.
The sustainable strategies employed include ground-source loops with a heat pump mechanical system, 95 percent efficient air-to-air heat exchangers, and a very efficient building envelope, including triple-pane windows. These and many other strategies were the result of a refined design which will use one-third the energy of a typical middle school. A window into the main building pump room outlines mechanical systems. Rainwater is captured and stored in cisterns located around the building, then re-used for toilet flushing; a cistern level marker is integrated into the commons. The building is designed to accommodate a 900Kw solar array, which would generate all of the energy required to run mechanical systems, lighting and power. Interpretive kiosks at the main entrances describe the systems used throughout the building as well as provide real-time reporting on energy and water systems. In addition, interpretive signage is provided throughout the project to describe the systems involved to the general public in an approachable manner.
The physical environment is designed to create a comfortable and welcoming place for students and the community. Spaces are engulfed in daylight, and surfaces include warm, natural and durable material choices. Recycled materials are used throughout the building. 100% fresh air is provided via displacement ventilation. The Commons is the heart of the school, the center of the community.
The line between exterior and interior is blurred through expansive walls of glass, creating a connection to the environment and inviting the natural landscape inside. As visitors enter the building they are greeted by views through the Commons to the amphitheater courtyard, gardens and woodland beyond. A sculpture salvaged from the original school will be a focal point in the new garden; positioned adjacent to the Visual Arts classroom it will serve as a both subject for study and a place for contemplation. Transparency is also achieved within the building through movable glass walls between classrooms and shared learning areas. Glazing on one side of the Library connects it to the Commons – the glazing is inscribed with inspirational messaging derived from the Educational Specifications; expansive views to the Cascade Mountains surround the perimeter.
Flexible, evolving, state of the art spaces allow for dynamic use. For example, the stage is dual sided, facing both the Commons and the Lecture Hall. The amphitheater can be used as a classroom, a performance space or a relaxing place to eat lunch. Gardens and wetlands serve as outdoor classrooms, allowing teaching to occur in nature.
Valley View Middle School is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in September 2012.