Last summer we started construction on a new K-12 school for the Quileute Tribe in La Push, WA with our partners Parametrix, Vanir and RFM Architecture. As the Quileute Tribe’s land is currently in a flood and tsunami hazard zone, the Tribe needs to relocate to higher ground for safety. The existing village school is one of the most significant facilities and as such is the first to be moved out of the danger zone.
The new school is being designed by applying Cross-Laminted Timber (CLT) for ease of construction in this extremely wet environment. The progressive design-build covers the new single-story school that will feature a variety of amenities for the students, staff, and community. These will include a classroom for every grade, spaces for special education, gifted learning, science, arts, library, music, carpentry, and other vocational education. The build will also house resource rooms, administrative space, a full-size high school gym, an exterior community courtyard, a mechanic shop for servicing the school busses, and full-size multi-sport fields.
Currently the project is well underway with the siding, landscaping, asphalt paving, utilities, and site lighting complete. Our team continues to work on interior finishes, carpet tile, resilient flooring and hanging wood doors and hardware. The athletic wood flooring is near completion, with basketball hoops installed and casework nearly complete as well. In addition, there is a 190,000-gallon water tower that is also part of the project. The foundation is complete, while the water tower materials, pump skid and emergency generator are coming in the new year.
We’re proud to be part of delivering this important project for the Quileute Tribe and look forward to completion in 2022.
This CBS News clip shows additional footage of the school and further explains the environmental impacts affecting area residents.
