Lake Washington STEM school combines modular and site-built construction to meet ambitious schedule

When the Lake Washington School District outside Seattle needed a new high school built on an ambitious permitting and construction schedule of seven months, modular construction proved to be an ideal solution.

“Conventional construction just wasn’t an option,” said Allan Long, Sr. Project Manager for M SPACE, the modular contractor for the project.

The LWSD ran into various permitting issues restricting site work on a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) school that was set to open in the fall of 2012. Since the modular process allows the bulk of construction to be done offsite in a factory, with minimal site disruption, the LWSD chose modular as the solution to its challenges.

The school is now serving 300 students, and by 2014, will be at near capacity with 600 9th-12th graders.

Integrus Architects, the designer on the project, began working the modular aspect of the project into it from the beginning, according to Yong Sun Lee, project manager with Integrus.

“In schematic design, we met with and toured various modular manufacturers’ facilities to understand the fabrication process,” Lee said.

“It was in the early stages that we were sensitive to issues of modular dimensions (transportation widths and heights), structure and material types. In design development, we maintained communication with the participating modular manufacturers and dealers with constructability/design insight,” she said.

Blazer Industries in Oregon began building the “mods” in April 2012, and M SPACE started craning them into place in July 2012. The school was constructed in two phases, with the first phase ending in August 2012. M SPACE contracted with Absher Construction as the onsite GC for the civil work, modular construction, roofing, sprinkler system and mechanical, electrical and plumbing.

M SPACE began setting the second phase in September 2012 and finished the following month, with the remaining site work completed by March 2013. With the two phases combined, the permanent 65,000 square-foot two-story school has 24 classrooms, a presentation hall, common areas, administrative offices and a nurse’s office. Additional features include photovoltaic panels in part of the roof, storefront windows, power cord reels in the science studios, two-hour rated walls, and light dimming ballasts in fixtures.

Four spaces in the school were site built, allowing modular and traditional construction to be combined to best suit the client’s need. The site-built commons has 22-foot ceilings, offering an open and inviting space for students. The top of the commons – the roof mods – were built in the factory, reducing the amount of time that workers had to spend at significant heights, according to Alan Duer, M SPACE Pacific Northwest Territory Manager.

“Mixing modular construction with conventional construction proved to be a valid alternative to the old ways of building,” Duer said.

To learn more about the school, please visit the M SPACE website.

The International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL), and Laney College in Oakland California, a National Science Foundation-funded Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center, are collaborating to identify education and training needs and strategies for high-tech facility operators.

| Apr 18, 2013

SOM, CASE team up to launch crowd-sourced apps library

SOM and CASE have formally launched AEC-APPS, the first crowd-sourced, web-based library for applications used by architects, engineers and construction professionals. This is a one-of-a-kind initiative in the AEC Industry and is a non-profit online community that allows digital tool users and toolmakers to share ideas, tips and resources.

Ysios winery. Photo: Elena de las Heras / Alamy/Alamy

| Apr 18, 2013

Calatrava projects encounter issues with water, structure, Guardian says

A dozen years after Calatrava built the spectacular Ysios winery in the rainy Alava region of northern Spain, the building's dramatic, undulating roof continues to let in the damp.

| Apr 17, 2013

Frank Lloyd Wright's Park Avenue showroom demolished

New York loses another architectural gem by Frank Lloyd Wright as new owner razes auto showroom.

| Apr 17, 2013

First look: Renzo Piano's glass-domed motion pictures museum

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last week released preliminary plans for its $300 million Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences museum in Los Angeles, designed by Renzo Piano and local architect Zoltan Pali.

| Apr 16, 2013

5 projects that profited from insulated metal panels

From an orchid-shaped visitor center to California’s largest public works project, each of these projects benefited from IMP technology.

| Apr 16, 2013

AIA/NCARB survey shows rosier picture for emerging professionals

In 2010, the AIA/NCARB Internship and Career Survey of emerging professionals took a snapshot of young designers during a time ofintense economic contraction, when they were often the first to suffer. But in the two years since, emerging professionals have begun experiencing a rebound.

| Apr 15, 2013

Seattle school certified as world's fourth Living Building

Bertschi School, an independent elementary school in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Wash., is now home to the first Living Building on the West Coast and the world’s fourth fully-certified Living Building.

| Apr 15, 2013

Advanced lighting controls and exterior tactics for better illumination - AIA/CES course

To achieve the goals of sustainability and high performance, stakeholders in new construction and renovation projects must rein in energy consumption, including lighting. This course presents detailed information about lighting control strategies that contribute to energy efficient buildings and occupant well-being, as well as tips for lighting building exteriors effectively and efficiently.

| Apr 15, 2013

eBay, Microsoft, Walt Disney World among keynote speakers for 2013 SMPS Conference, July 31 – August 2 in Orlando

The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is pleased to announce the keynote speakers for ?Build Business: Dream Big!,? its 2013 conference to be held July 31 – August 2 at the Walt Disney World® Swan and Dolphin in Orlando.

Currently Reading

Lake Washington STEM school combines modular and site-built construction to meet ambitious schedule

Tags

| Apr 18, 2013

| Apr 18, 2013

| Apr 18, 2013

| Apr 17, 2013

| Apr 17, 2013

| Apr 16, 2013

| Apr 16, 2013

| Apr 15, 2013

| Apr 15, 2013

| Apr 15, 2013

Most Popular Content

Magazine Subscription

Get our Newsletters

Follow BD+C: