Uniquely, the entire team at Van Asselt shared the vision of prioritizing sustainability and using mass timber on the classroom additions. Pre-design coincided with a vote by the Seattle Public Schools’ Board of Directors, who unanimously passed a resolution to transition the district to 100% clean and renewable energy (by 2040).
Mass timber fit the project’s budget and schedule constraints. With the full team at the table from the very beginning, we looked at conceptual designs, timelines, framing options, and big-picture items, ultimately designing a mass timber structure that was not only beautiful, but highly efficient.
Structural designs leveraged our mass timber expertise, utilizing products at their full efficiency. Universal products are used in creative ways, and panels are maximized at full spans, resulting in less overall materials, customizations, and cost.
Exceptionally familiar with the local industry and CLT manufacturers, our team selected the right manufacturing partners and products for the mass timber materials. This process ensured the project was competitively and accurately bid.
During the school’s construction, prefabricated components were lifted into place without the noise associated with steel construction, keeping disruptions to ongoing classes to a minimum. Additionally, thanks to a mass timber erection time comparison study, the installation speed is superior to that of a traditional project.
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