The 40-acre Northfield High School campus in Stapleton became the first new high school built for Denver Public Schools in 30 years. Key elements of the multiphase project include a two-story, 85,000-sq-ft academic building, a 38,000-sq-ft gymnasium and a sports complex with softball and baseball fields, tennis courts, a running track and a multisport turf field. The academic building houses classrooms, laboratories and a two-story atrium. The gym includes a basketball court, weight and fitness rooms, and locker rooms.

The high school breaks tradition by grouping buildings into a campus configuration, similar to a college. The design created flexible learning spaces, classrooms with 21st-century technology, small breakout spaces and a variety of seating areas to foster more student-teacher interaction, inquiry and creativity.

The exterior building components all come together in various ways through transitions, waterproofing, insulation and architectural-finish material. These systems were collectively evaluated for product requirements and sequencing to meet the project’s high-quality goals.
 

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