PreK-12

Peter Kirk Elementary School

Lake Washington School District

Project Details

It’s back to school at the new Peter Kirk Elementary School.  This new 79,000 SF facility replaced the existing school on the same site.  Featuring 30 classrooms separated into learning pods gathered around 6 shared instructional spaces, each pod has views of the preserved natural landscape of the site.  The Music room opens up as a stage for the Commons, and both the Gym and Commons can be opened into one large space. The high ceiling Library provides for teaching space, reading nooks, and a tall window corner for special gatherings.  The administration area features a sunny yellow ceiling with views of the student drop-off areas and playfields.  A variety of special spaces were created throughout the school to provide for the gathering of groups large and small.

Exterior patterned masonry provides for permanence with yellow accents used to highlight windows and entry features.  Meeting the high-performance standards of the Washington Sustainable Schools Protocol (WSSP), the school features a geothermal system, energy-efficient daylight controlled lighting, ceiling fans in lieu of cooling, photo-voltaic ready roof areas, and enhanced acoustic separation of learning spaces.

The grass play-field is a joint facility shared by the City of Kirkland for community use after school hours. Located in Kirkland, Washington, the replacement school’s site features forested areas, hillsides, and a creek. The natural surroundings affected much of the planning and required an understanding of wetland and stream buffer mitigation. Preserving and enhancing the environment was a key factor in the design of the new Peter Kirk facility, and provides opportunities for outdoor learning.