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.

In November, Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine shared the initial design plans for a campus building project named in honor of Henrietta Lacks, the Baltimore County woman whose cells have advanced medicine around the world. Diagnosed with cervical cancer, Lacks, an African-American mother of five, sought treatment at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in the early 1950s. Named HeLa cells, the cell line that began with Lacks has contributed to numerous medical breakthroughs.

Arenas | Feb 23, 2023

Using data to design the sports venue of the future

Former video game developer Abe Stein and HOK's Bill Johnson discuss how to use data to design stadiums and arenas that keep fans engaged and eager to return.

National Archaeological Museum Athens Streetview of new complex © Filippo Bolognese Images

Museums | Feb 22, 2023

David Chipperfield's 'subterranean' design wins competition for National Archaeological Museum in Athens

Berlin-based David Chipperfield Architects was selected as the winner of the design competition for the new National Archaeological Museum in Athens. The project will modernize and expand the original neoclassical museum designed by Ludwig Lange and Ernst Ziller (1866-1874) with new spaces that follow the existing topography of the site. It will add approximately 20,000 sm of space to the existing museum, as well as a rooftop park that will be open to the public.

Multifamily Housing | Feb 21, 2023

Watch: DBA Architects' Bryan Moore talks micro communities and the benefits of walkable neighborhoods

What is a micro-community? Where are they most prevalent? What’s the future for micro communities? These questions (and more) addressed by Bryan Moore, President and CEO of DBA Architects.

MetroHealth System The Glick Center Cleveland Photo Nic Lehoux Architectural Photography, courtesy HGA

Healthcare Facilities | Feb 21, 2023

Cleveland's Glick Center hospital anchors neighborhood revitalization

The newly opened MetroHealth Glick Center in Cleveland, a replacement acute care hospital for MetroHealth, is the centerpiece of a neighborhood revitalization. The eleven-story structure is located within a ‘hospital-in-a-park’ setting that will provide a bucolic space to the community where public green space is lacking. It will connect patients, visitors, and staff to the emotional and physical benefits of nature.

Multifamily Housing | Feb 21, 2023

Multifamily housing investors favoring properties in the Sun Belt

Multifamily housing investors are gravitating toward Sun Belt markets with strong job and population growth, according to new research from Yardi Matrix. Despite a sharp second-half slowdown, last year’s nationwide $187 billion transaction volume was the second-highest annual total ever.

New residential and mixed-use buildings in Portland, Ore., must be ready for electric vehicle charging

Multifamily Housing | Feb 21, 2023

New multifamily housing and mixed-use buildings in Portland, Ore., must be ready for electric vehicle charging

The Portland, Ore., City Council recently voted unanimously to require all new residential and mixed-use buildings to be ready for electric vehicle charging. The move amends Portland’s zoning laws to require all new multi-dwelling and mixed-use development of five or more units with onsite parking to provide electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Morrow High School Ellenwood, Georgia, by Perkins and Will The curving, S-shaped classroom building follows the ridge that runs across the greenfield site, reducing impact on its wetlands.

K-12 Schools | Feb 18, 2023

Atlanta suburb opens $85 million serpentine-shaped high school designed by Perkins&Will

In Ellenwood, Ga., a southeast suburb of Atlanta, Perkins and Will has partnered with Clayton County Public Schools and MEJA Construction to create a $85 million secondary school. Morrow High School, which opened in fall 2022, serves more than 2,200 students in Clayton County, a community with students from over 30 countries.

First Americans Museum (FAM) in Oklahoma City

Museums | Feb 17, 2023

First Americans Museum uses design metaphors of natural elements to honor native worldview

First Americans Museum (FAM) in Oklahoma City honors the 39 tribes in Oklahoma today, reflecting their history through design metaphors of nature’s elements of earth, wind, water, and fire. The design concept includes multiple circles suggested by arcs, reflecting the native tradition of a circular worldview that encompasses the cycle of life, the seasons, and the rotation of the earth.

J. Brett Blanton was the 12th Architect of the Capitol, serving 2020-2023. Photo: AOC.gov

Architects | Feb 17, 2023

Architect of the Capitol fired by President Biden after strong bipartisan criticism

Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton was let go this week following alleged abuse of authority, misuse of government property, and wasted taxpayer money.

Currently Reading

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

Tags

University Buildings | Feb 23, 2023

Arenas | Feb 23, 2023

Museums | Feb 22, 2023

Multifamily Housing | Feb 21, 2023

Healthcare Facilities | Feb 21, 2023

Multifamily Housing | Feb 21, 2023

Multifamily Housing | Feb 21, 2023

K-12 Schools | Feb 18, 2023

Museums | Feb 17, 2023

Architects | Feb 17, 2023

Most Popular Content

Magazine Subscription

Get our Newsletters

Follow BD+C: