Asa Mercer International Middle School
Location:
Seattle, WA
Year Built:
2025
District:
Seattle Public Schools
Type:
Replacement
Photos:
© Lawrence Anderson
About this Project
Asa Mercer International Middle School is a 176,000 SF, three-story facility to house up to 1,000 students. The new school replaced the former school which was constructed back in the 1950s. Paying homage to the history of the school and the rich diversity of the surrounding community was important to consider during planning. Multiple zoning changes were required for the design of the school. With over 95% of the primary structure comprised of wood, the new facility was designed to maximize the benefits of mass timber. The building features CLT panels suspended by tension cables and sloped A-frame wood columns. The school includes a library, labs, classrooms, STEM classrooms, kitchen, turf sports field/court, gym, dual-sided stage and auditorium, and more. It also includes geothermal, ground improvement and ROW work.
Project Highlights
- Engineered innovative shoulder-bearing column connections that eliminated steel components while increasing timber sizes, keeping the architectural vision within budget
- Developed custom erection sequences and connection details for complex sloped column geometry along the 500-foot central spine
- Performed cost studies between wood species to balance cost and performance requirements
- Applied cumulative lessons learned on temporary bracing, wet weather protection and connection methods
Building Statistics
- Building Area: 176,000 SF
- Areas featuring Mass Timber: Classrooms, Commons, Library
Project Team
- Architect: Bassetti Architects / A Design Studio of HMC Architects
- Structural Engineer: Coughlin Porter Lundeen
- General Contractor: Cornerstone General Contractors
- Timber Manufacturer: Kalesnikoff
