Although some of the hilly and forested site was cleared for construction of the school, the team placed an emphasis on maintaining nearly half of the 33-acre site’s natural elements, including a generous portion of the forested areas. Over four months, crews blasted 70,000 cu yd of rock to level the land for the school, courtyards, roads and utilities. Ultimately, only 17 acres were disturbed.

Photo courtesy Evoke Studio Architecture

A 136-ft enclosed bridge was preassembled in two welded trusses, requiring onsite laydown space for several weeks. Each truss was installed in a single day using three cranes. Field adjustments were needed for structural tolerances, requiring changes that included modified ceiling trims.

Exterior and courtyard work overlapped, with up to 12 trades working in the space simultaneously. Separate crews installed panels, utilities, landscaping and playground equipment—all while a complex serpentine ramp was poured. Ramp footings had to carefully avoid underground utilities. Due to other project elements, later pours required pumping concrete through more than 400 ft of hose.

Mid-project, the owner added $2 million in scope. The team worked seven days a week, including holidays, to ensure that the two-year project was completed at budget and on schedule.