The Valley School Outdoor Classroom and Amphitheater

Seattle, WA, United States

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The Valley School Outdoor Classroom and Amphitheater

Seattle, WA, United States

Firm

babienko ARCHITECTS pllc

Type

Educational › Elementary School Other

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2023

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

BUDGET

Undisclosed

Photos

Andrew Storey Lightcatcher Imagery (13)

The Valley School Outdoor Classroom & Amphitheater

Vibrant School Gathering Place
The Outdoor Classroom is conceived as a new signature element for The Valley School, a K-5 Independent School comprised of single-family homes turned into a comprehensive campus. The elevated outdoor classroom serves to provide The Valley School with a unique instruction opportunity situated amongst the canopies of the numerous trees on campus and enhance the school’s pedagogy on environmental learning, awareness and stewardship.

Environmental Focus
The building is designed to minimize energy use, with open air ventilation and no cooling or heating. The valley roof is oversized and shaped to provide sun protection without requiring classroom lighting or performance lighting during school hours. The valley roof highlights the integration of the storm water runoff, collection, and on site dispersion. The structural shear wall panels will include a stainless-steel cable assembly to facilitate the vertical growth of native plantings. The construction of the classroom relied on local wood products to create a ‘tree house’ atmosphere. The exposed structure and materials reflect a desire to avoid artificial surfaces and coatings, making the classroom and theater a tactile and visual environmental experience. The use of steel was minimized to reduce the environmental impact and reduce the carbon footprint.

Multipurpose Use
Extensive work with the school leadership team and the instructors from the school highlighted the need for the classroom to serve many roles on campus; first and foremost a unique fun classroom experience connected to nature.
The limited deliberate use of color spanning multiple levels and rhythmically-spaced wood verticals on the screens and guardrails embody a playfulness over and through the structure. The elevated classroom gave rise to the amphitheater seating to be used for all school gatherings, performances, and lectures. The existing mature trees were protected and captured within the open-air amphitheater, serving as the stage backdrop. Integrated below the amphitheater is a new storage area and in the area beneath the elevated classroom is a much-needed covered hardscape play surface.