This original 1924-era middle school was redesigned to earn the honor of being first school in Colorado to achieve LEED for Schools Platinum Certification. Because of unstable soils and restrictive classroom sizes, the original building was unable to be saved. However, two of the historic walls were preserved to maintain the character and history of this school, just one of the creative aspects of this unique, high performance learning facility.
LOCATION:
Boulder, CO
CLIENT:
Boulder Valley School District
SCOPE:
106,458 Square Feet
COST:
$24.7 Million
COMPLETED:
2010
To conserve as much open space as possible on the 8.4-acre urban site, the classroom wing of the new building is three stories high and half the parking is tucked under the building. The school accommodates 600 students and includes a 350-seat auditorium.
The building utilizes a ground source heat pump with water to air heat pumps for both heating and cooling of the building. Solar panels were creatively designed to serve a dual purpose: provide an alternative energy source while doubling as covered bicycle parking. A roof garden can be integrated into the school curriculum and natural daylighting with automatic dimming systems save energy while reducing the need for artificial lighting.
