From the outset, the design and construction process focused on how architecture could reinforce educational goals while responding to neighborhood scale, sustainability听priorities听and long-term adaptability. | Photo Credit (all): Lara Swimmer
By Lindsey Coulter听
The Giddens School and Lake Washington Girls Middle School complex brings two independent schools together on a single urban campus, balancing shared resources with distinct identities in a tightly programmed, three-story building between Seattle鈥檚 Beacon Hill and Central District neighborhoods.听
Designed by Graham Baba Architects (architecture and interior design) in collaboration with Anjali Grant Design (educational consultant and collaborating architect), the campus is听located听on a constrained site with significant grade change, the 52,500-square-foot project was designed to support co-location without compromise. While Giddens serves a coeducational pre-K through fifth-grade population and Lake Washington Girls Middle School educates girls in grades six through eight, both schools share a pedagogical emphasis on inquiry-based learning,听flexibility听and community connection.听
From the outset, the design and construction process focused on how architecture could reinforce educational goals while responding to neighborhood scale, sustainability听priorities听and long-term adaptability.听
Planning a Shared but Distinct Educational Model听
Co-locating two independent schools offered operational efficiencies but required careful planning to preserve each school鈥檚 culture and daily rhythms.听Each school has its own entry sequence, circulation patterns and clustered academic spaces, while shared program areas are located at the center of the building.听
Giddens鈥� program includes 12 classrooms, early childhood and elementary playgrounds, and a听makerspace supporting science,听art听and social studies. Pre-K classrooms are grouped near the school鈥檚 entry, while elementary classrooms and administrative areas are stacked on two levels running east to west. The school serves approximately 240 students.听
Lake Washington Girls Middle School accommodates about 110 students. Its classrooms and administrative spaces are stacked above a dedicated entry and organized north to south. The two schools connect through shared spaces including a gym and performance hall, library,听commons听and dining areas.听
鈥淭he biggest challenge in terms of school identity was the entries,鈥� the design team noted. Each entry needed to be welcoming and legible for families while听maintaining听a balanced presence on the site. Color,听materials听and subtle shifts in form were used to distinguish the schools without creating visual competition.听
Flexible Spaces Designed to Evolve听
Flexibility听guided听both spatial planning and interior detailing. Classrooms were designed to accommodate multiple age groups,听subjects听and teaching styles, with adaptability over time considered a core requirement.听
The project includes preschool classrooms with direct outdoor access and dedicated restrooms, elementary classrooms, middle school听classrooms,听and a range of specialty spaces for art, science,听STEAM听and performance. Operable walls鈥攐ften clad in whiteboard material鈥攁llow rooms to expand or contract. Minimal built-ins,听high ceilings听with exposed structure and neutral finishes give teachers latitude to configure spaces as needed.听
Hallways incorporate interior windows into classrooms, visually connecting learning听spaces听and increasing access to daylight. Breakout areas at multiple scales support small-group instruction and informal collaboration.听
The gymnasium doubles as a performance space, with a stage and fold-out seating. An operable wall allows the stage to function daily as a music and theater classroom serving both schools.听
Responding to Neighborhood and Site Constraints听
The L-shaped building opens to the south, forming a protected outdoor play and gathering space that takes advantage of solar exposure. This configuration shields the campus from more industrial contexts to the north and east while creating a softer edge toward adjacent residential streets.听
Topography played a significant role in massing decisions. With approximately 20 feet of elevation change across the site, portions of the building read as two stories from the neighborhood side, while larger-volume spaces such as the gym, storage, mechanical听rooms听and some parking tuck beneath the main level.听
Outdoor space within the 鈥淟鈥� functions as both a daily play area and an exterior performance venue. On the third level, Giddens occupies the west side of the floor, while Lake Washington Girls Middle School accesses a fenced rooftop playfield with expansive urban views.听
These strategies helped balance density with neighborhood compatibility while maximizing usable outdoor space on a small urban site.听
Sustainability as Curriculum听
Sustainable systems were intentionally made visible and accessible as teaching tools. A cistern and underground tank collect rainwater used to flush toilets, with signage in restrooms explaining the system. Solar panels form the entry canopy at Giddens and are supplemented by an听additional听rooftop array.听
Bio-retention gardens throughout the site filter stormwater, while a rain gauge connected to the cistern allows students to track water collection. Educational signage, developed pro bono by the design team, is displayed in shared areas such as the commons.听
Teachers have incorporated these systems into coursework and have invited architects to speak with students about environmental responsibility and building performance.听
Materials,听Health听and Long-Term Performance听
Material听selection听focused on durability, low听toxicity听and ease of maintenance. The team developed a sustainability matrix informed by听established听frameworks to听identify听strategies with the greatest impact.听
Flooring includes low- and zero-VOC materials such as linoleum,听rubber听and polished concrete. Casework is formaldehyde-free, and coatings throughout the building meet low-emissions standards. These decisions support indoor air quality and long-term resilience in high-use educational spaces.听
Lessons for Future Urban Campuses听
The project reinforced several strategies applicable to future urban K鈥�8 and middle school campuses: early and ongoing engagement with teachers and students; advance scheduling for shared spaces; careful program stacking on tight sites; and deliberate planning of entries and circulation for multiple user groups.听
Equally important were generous daylighting, visual connections between spaces and flexible shared areas that encourage interaction while supporting separation when needed.听
Designed for adaptability and longevity, the campus reflects how thoughtful design and construction can support evolving educational models in dense urban contexts.听
Project Team
- Graham Baba Architects (architecture and interior design)
- Anjali Grant Design (educational consultant and collaborating architect)
- Costigan Integrated (project manager)
- Cascade Design Collaborative (landscape architect)
- KPFF (civil and structural engineer)
- GeoEngineers (geotechnical engineer)
- Heffron Transportation Inc. (traffic consultant)
- Ecotope (mechanical engineer)
- Rushing (electrical engineer)
- Exxel Pacific (general contractor)
- A3 Acoustics (acoustical consultant)
- Dark Light (lighting designer)
- JRS Engineering (building envelope consultant)
- Emerald Aire (mechanical contractor)
- Holaday-Parks (plumbing contractor)
- Johnson Electric (electrical contractor)
Materials & Products
- Wood siding: Kebony
- Metal siding: AEP Span (Mini-V-Beam and Prestige profiles)
- Windows: VPI Quality Windows (vinyl)
- Storefront: Arcadia
- Roofing: Soprema
- Gym flooring: Robbins Sports Surfaces Bio-Cushion Classic
- Tile: Daltile
- Carpeting: Shaw Contract