Building a school from the ground up is a much more significant challenge than it was in the past. Our work with a Seattle-based architecture firm, Integrus, on the brand new Harrison Preparatory School of Choice was required to follow the intensive Washington State Schools Protocol for high-performance buildings. This required special consideration for the site orientation, the water usage, the materials used, the energy requirements, the indoor environmental quality, and planning and operation. Another concern with any new public school building is the safety of the students attending. Harrison Preparatory has security features inlaid into the design, protecting students from potential threats. North-facing windows flood the cafeteria and atrium with warm, natural daylight and open staircases instead of stairwells unite the two floors seamlessly.
