Aspiration & Achievement
Community and student engagement drove aspirational goals around sustainability and creating inclusive environments to ensure every student feels welcome and safe.
PROJECT DETAILS
This state-of-the-art school currently under construction will offer a welcoming and highly sustainable environment to serve a community of rich cultural and economic diversity. A replacement school, the design team accommodated a bond timetable staging design and construction in phases over the course of 10 years. The new school will accommodate 1,200 students from grades 9 to 12.
The Tyee community played a pivotal role in planning and designing its new school to meet collaboratively determined guiding principles. Located in SeaTac, Washington, the student body includes a large proportion of minority students representing many cultures and languages. Working through engagement exercises ensured the new facility will meet a range of needs for its students, including an unhoused population. It is designed to be open and inclusive, with a community clinic, a family connection center providing essential services, and gender-inclusive restrooms and locker rooms. An active learning wing with performing arts, athletic, and career technology spaces is a community asset available to the adjacent middle school and with after-hours access.
Commitment to sustainability is reflected in every aspect of the school and when complete, it will be the most sustainable school in the district. Ground source heat pumps under the new athletic field will provide renewable energy and reduce fossil fuel consumption with an impressive design EUI of24. A solar array and future EV charging stations offer clean energy solutions and educational opportunities for students. Utilizing mass timber for portions of the building structure helps sequester carbon and provides a warm, inviting atmosphere. Daylit interior spaces with views of the central courtyard and green spaces reduce stress, enhance learning, and improve overall well-being. Stormwater bioretention swales manage water efficiently and provide habitats for native species.
The design integrates elements of the original Tyee High School, preserving its history while providing modern amenities. Salvaged materials from the original building such as glulam beams and gym flooring, are repurposed for structural decking and aesthetic elements in the new design including seating, wainscoting and graphics. Historical artifacts, including several meaningful murals, are carried forward into the new building.
Far more than a place for learning, this school is a community hub designed to support the varied needs of its diverse students and families. With a focus on sustainability, inclusivity, and historic preservation, the school is a reflection of the uniqueness of the Tyee community and will serve the students and community for generations to come. It is exciting to look forward to the next chapter in Tyee’s history as construction moves toward completion in September 2025.
