Bush Upper School

The new upper school is a deep green classroom and commons building for an independent K-12 school slated to become the first Passive House school on the West Coast and the largest west of the Mississippi River. The program includes ten classrooms, casual break-out areas, 400-seat multipurpose room student lounge, student/faculty collaboration center, administrative offices and faculty work room. The program includes ten classrooms, casual break-out areas, 400-seat multipurpose room student lounge, administrative offices and work room.

This intimate classroom building demonstrates the school’s commitment to sustainability. The use of mass plywood (MPP) construction reduced construction time and embodied carbon, and contributes to the overall Passive House performance of the building. Large format two-inch-thick panels comprise the majority of the structure, and are also deployed in work tables, bench furnishings, door panels and other interior elements to tell the story of material innovation on the project. The nesting of the multipurpose level into the hillside tempers the building thermal loads while creating a fully accessible entrance to the upper campus.