The brand new Des Moines Elementary School is really taking shape, and Hutteball + Oremus Architecture has released a video tour of the campus.

@DesMoinesES Principal Rick Wisen and Highline Public Schools Capital Planning & Construction staff describe the journey from vision to a new building that is just what teachers and the community ordered:

Built on the former Zenith Park site, the new school utilizes a split-level design that incorporates the sloping terrain. Classroom wings are organized into six small learning communities. Each community has a distinct entry providing access to individual learning communities.

The school provides a variety of engaging teaching and learning environments. Classrooms are spacious and flexible to quickly adapt to the task at hand. Whether collaborative school work or independent study, this flexibility accommodates different learning styles and provides a richer experience for both teacher and student. In the bright, open corridors, students can comfortably stretch out in a nook to read, hang out on one of the benches to connect with their peers, or occupy the more structured shared learning areas equipped with wireless high-speed technology. At the heart of the school is the bright, colorful, and engaging library, providing a child-friendly atmosphere where students receive group instruction, study or read independently, and connect to online and media resources. Sustainable features in and around campus become teachable moments, inspiring students to become lifelong stewards of the environment.

Project Team:

OWNER: Highline Public Schools
OWNER’S PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Vanir Construction Management
ARCHITECT: Hutteball + Oremus Architecture
CONTRACTOR: Absher Construction
CIVIL & STRUCTURAL: Coughlin Porter Lundeen
LANDSCAPE: Weisman Design Group
MECHANICAL: Metrix Engineers
ELECTRICAL: Hargis Engineers
FOOD SERVICE: JLR Design Group
COST ESTIMATING: ProDims
ACOUSTICS: Stantec
GEOTECH: Associated Earth Sciences
SURVEY: Bush, Roed, & Hitchings, Inc.