Giddens and LWGMS
Seattle, WA
[in collaboration with Graham Baba Architects]

This project is a single campus and building to house both the Giddens School and Lake Washington Girls Middle School.

The L-shaped building wraps around a large south-facing courtyard with distinct entries for each of the two schools. Giddens classrooms and administrative spaces are stacked on three levels, running East to West.; L-W classrooms and administrative spaces run North to South. The two schools join at the center of the ‘L’, in a series of shared, multifunctional community spaces - a commons, library and gym/performance space - with strong relationships to the outdoors. On the third level, the two schools are separated by an open rooftop practice field.

Design goals are flexibility, kid/girl-centeredness, community, innovation, openness and connection to the natural world. Classrooms are designed so that they can be used for multiple ages and subjects, with strategically placed operable walls to create larger learning spaces; specialty classrooms include music/performance, art/steam and early childhood education.