EXTECH Provides Skylight System to Calif. Middle School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 05/07/21

EXTECH/Exterior Technologies, Inc. has provided skylight systems for the new Spring Hill School middle school campus in Sonoma County, Petaluma, Calif. The campus opened its doors to students for the first time for the 2019-20 school year. The middle school was designed by DMARC Studio, constructed by Advanced Building Solutions, and offers a variety of indoor and outdoor learning spaces for up to 120 students.

The building features a learning center / conference room, idea lab, math center, makerspace studio including a 3D printer, and indoor and outdoor learning classrooms. A covered walkway featuring EXTECH’s skylight system connects the outdoor learning spaces, providing daylight and ventilation to students. The SKYGARD 2500 Series skylight system covers an area about 168 feet long by 6 feet wide at a consistent slope of 1:12 across the entire span.

EXTECH skylight system
Photo by Kaplan Photo, courtesy of EXTECH

Each of its 55 panels come in a variety of sizes and are made of laminated glass more than half an inch thick and framed with anodized aluminum. The aluminum is made of recycled materials.

“Our skylights not only support sustainable daylight designs, but also provide a cost-effective choice for fabrication, installation and maintenance,” said EXTECH general manager Jim Leslie. “Backed with a 10-year warranty, our skylight system continues to add value for school districts, building owners and facility managers for years to come.”

The Spring Hill School opened in 1975 to offer a Montessori-based education to students in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. The new middle school campus expands those opportunities through eighth grade. The program includes a distinct focus on humanities, science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM). This educational style and STEAM focus influenced the inclusion of nontraditional learning spaces to increase flexibility and student health and offer an aesthetic touch.

“This challenge was approached by utilizing a unique structural system that not only provides flexibility for the instructional spaces within the building, but also provides a design aesthetic inspired by the STEAM curriculum when exposed,” said DMARC. “The classrooms’ connection to the outdoors provides unique educational spaces for the students and maximizes usable space.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at mjones@1105media.com.

Featured

  • Understanding the Training of School Resource Officers

    SROs are now integral components of nearly every educational system in the country. But instead of being a more passive entity in schools, they have gradually become mentors to students, adding to their support network of teachers, parents, coaches, and other caring adults.

  • Craig Gaulden Davis Architecture Announces Merger with PBK

    Craig Gaulden Davis Architecture (CGD), based in South Carolina and Maryland, recently announced that it has merged with PBK, the largest K–12 architectural firm in the U.S., according to a news release. The firm will operate as Craig Gaulden Davis | PBK with 31 offices across the country.

  • Minnesota High School Completes $226M Addition, Renovation Project

    White Bear Lake Area High School – North Campus in White Bear Lake, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $226-million renovation and addition project, according to a news release. The district partnered with Kraus-Anderson for the project’s construction, which involved creating a single high-school site for the White Bear Lake Area School District.

  • Active Learning Classroom

    Striking a Balance: The Keys to Renovating Science Education Buildings for the 21st Century

    The recent renovation of the Durham Science Center at the University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) provides a roadmap for facilities managers tasked with balancing budget constraints, modern pedagogical demands, and long-term sustainability.