Education

Quantum Consulting Engineers provided structural design for this new 600 student middle school featuring general classrooms, administrative offices, student services, a cafeteria, computer and media labs, and a multi-purpose gym. The school is approximately 75,000 SF and located in Auburn near Five Mile Lake.

The classroom and gymnasium buildings’ structural system is composed of steel roof and floor framing with concrete floor decks, masonry walls, and prefab steel wall panels. The central commons area features exposed heavy timber roof deck, beams and columns, with a timber elevated walkway. Careful decisions were made to preserve the natural forested condition of nearly three-fourths of the property on which the school is located. The steel beam-to-column connections are detailed to evoke “branches” up to the forest canopy.The building design – developed by Bassetti Architects – consists of three wings branching off of the commons area. Each wing has eight classrooms, with four upstairs and four downstairs. Two large classrooms are located near the gymnasium in the central area. An administration area and library wing are located toward the north end of the building. The school is designed to allow controlled natural light into the interior of the structure, a building trend that has been shown to positively impact students academic performance.

Construction on Sequoyah Middle School was completed in time for the start of the 2005 school year.

Architect: Bassetti Architects

The Skyline High School Expansion Project is a large addition and renovation/remodel to the existing school for the Issaquah School District. The expansion will add approximately 52,000 SF of new construction, increasing the capacity of the school to 1,850 students.The new classroom and administration wings are three-story steel-framed structures with a concentric steel braced-framed lateral force-resisting system. The commons area expansion is comprised of a two-story steel-frame structure and a new shed roof that helps to seismically brace the existing classroom building. The program includes a new gymnasium with 114’ clear span steel-framed roof trusses. The weight room and locker room expansions are located adjacent to the gymnasiums.

Architect: Bassetti Architects

Quantum provided the structural engineering for the Federal Way Service Center located next to Celebration Park on a branch of the Hylebos Creek Watershed. The innovative design of the Federal Way Service Center links essential services with each other, students, and the community. The new LEED Gold certified FWSC encourages cooperation and communication between District staff by co-locating Transportation, Maintenance, and Nutrition Services.

Architect: Bassetti Architects

Quantum Consulting Engineers provided the structural design for the replacement/reconstruction of Merrill Hall at the University of Washington. The original educational building was severely damaged by fire that destroyed valuable workspace, research papers, and books. The 20,000 SF replacement facility houses classrooms, laboratories, academic offices, public spaces, and the Elisabeth C. Miller Horticultural Library, which serves faculty, students, and researchers.The U.S. Green Building Council awarded this facility a LEED Silver rating. Key to this rating was providing healthy indoor spaces that promote well-being and productivity, while conserving water and reducing the consumption of non-renewable energy. Merrill Hall Reconstruction gained a Citation Award in the AIA Washington Civic Design Awards.

The structural system is comprised primarily of engineered wood products, including SIPS panel roof, and glulam roof beams. The west wall is a comprised of concrete, providing seismic resistance and thermal mass.
This project was designed and built to meet the requirements of version 2.0 of the Living Building Challenge and is slated to become the first certified Living Building in Washington.

Architect: Miller Hull Partnership

Quantum Consulting Engineers provided structural design services for the Bertschi School Living Classroom. The 1,425 square foot classroom features an ethnobotanical garden to grow food; cisterns for rainwater harvesting, a green moss-mat roof; composting toilet, natural ventilation and radiant floor heating; a living wall of tropical plants to treat grey water; and solar panels, which will produce the buildings energy.

The structural system is comprised primarily of engineered wood products, including SIPS panel roof, and glulam roof beams. The west wall is a comprised of concrete, providing seismic resistance and thermal mass.
This project was designed and built to meet the requirements of version 2.0 of the Living Building Challenge is the first certified Living Building in Washington.

Architect: KMD Architects