Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

A.G. Bell Elementary School

Lake Washington School District, Kirkland, Wash.

  • 09/01/15

A.G. Bell Elementary SchoolWith an existing forest and wetland, significant slopes and a sprawling campus, the replacement of A.G. Bell Elementary posed challenging natural and built constraints. DLR Group’s design brings restoration to the fractured site by integrating its unique qualities in a school enabled to meet educational goals, sustainably reduce the cost of ownership and reinforce community connections. Featuring roof canopies and staggered elevations, the building complements nearby vegetation and maximizes daylight through sunshades, light-diffusing glass and deliberate orientation, reinforcing transparent learning environments.

The surrounding forest was left intact, requiring diligent phasing of the occupied site and integration of walking paths to surrounding neighborhoods. Based on two primary circulation axes, A.G. Bell Elementary offers ease of circulation, equal access to shared learning spaces and pays homage to the former school through the reuse of salvaged cedar wood covering the library (seen prominently from the entryway and lobby). With a clear, welcoming entry and adequate space designed for community and school use, A.G. Bell Elementary is now enabled to serve both its students and community.

A.G. Bell Elementary SchoolARCHITECT

DLR Group
NOAH GREENBERG
206.461.6000

PROJECT INFORMATION

CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR
Forrest Miller

COMPLETION DATE
September 2013

GROSS AREA
65,306 sq. ft.

PER STUDENT
119 sq. ft.

SITE SIZE
9 acres

CURRENT ENROLLMENT
N/A

CAPACITY
550 students

COST PER STUDENT
$36,363

COST PER SQ. FT.
$306

TOTAL COST
N/A

COMPANY PROFILE

Founded in Omaha in 1966, DLR Group has grown to 22 offices across the U.S., Shanghai, and Dubai and over 600 employees combining international experience with local expertise. As an integrated design firm, we provide architecture, design, engineering and planning.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Acquires VPS Architecture

    Full-service planning, architecture, and engineering firm Wold Architects & Engineers recently announced that it has acquired VPS Architecture, according to a news release. The move will help strengthen Wold’s education and public-sector design expertise, industries in which both companies have strong pre-existing ties and relationships.

  • Florida District Completes Construction on New Leadership Institute

    Pinellas County Schools near Tampa, Fla., recently announced that construction is complete on the new Dr. Michael A. Grego Leadership Institute, according to a news release. The district partnered with Rowe Architects for the project’s design and with Skanska for construction services.

  • University of Kansas Breaks Ground on Entrepreneurship Hub

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new KU Entrepreneurship Hub, according to university news. The Hub is part of the university’s School of Business and will include spaces for experiential learning and programming.