Highline High Principal Vicki Fisher introduced the district’s ‘Ask the Architect’ community meeting Thursday night, Oct. 19.[/caption] The Highline High School Pirates have a brand new ship on order â€“ and conceptual design plans were released to the public at a community meeting at the school on Thursday night, Oct. 19. Highline Public Schools wants everyone to take a look at â€“ and give feedback on â€“ these preliminary site layout and exterior design ideas presented at the meeting, which was held in the not-much-longer-for-this-world Highline High cafeteria.

The deadline to give your feedback on these designs is Wednesday, Nov. 1. Click here to vote.

Around 60 people were present at the meeting, which was led by Architects from Bassetti, including Dan Miles and Lorne McConachie. Also on hand was Highline High Principal Vicki Fisher, Superintendent Susan Enfield and COO Scott Logan. Information on HHS North Wall As we first reported Sept. 25, after evaluating soil conditions and masonry, project architects, engineers and contractors determined that preserving the front north wall/faÃ§ade in its current state is not a feasible option. The facade is one-brick-thick veneer on a wood frame, and any attempt to keep it standing would cost up to an estimated $15 million, and there is a significant risk the wall would collapse in the process, wasting millions of tax dollars. â€œEven though we canâ€™t preserve the wall as it is, we can rebuild it in a similar style,â€ said Scott Logan, chief operations officer for Highline Public Schools. â€œWe have directed our architects to draft design options that reflect the schoolâ€™s historic look. Our charge is to build a new school on time and on budget to meet the educational needs of the future and to honor the schoolâ€™s historic significance to our community.â€ Learn more about the work on the HHS north wall on the Highline Public Schools website in the frequently asked questionsÂ section and in this update article in the Keeping Our Promise section. Three Design Ideas Bassetti Architects presented three design concepts that reflect and respect the historic look of Highline High School. In each option, original brick and terra cotta will be salvaged if possible and used in the design of the new school in some way. Here’s a video that shows some of the sketches presented at Thursday night’s meeting:

North Wall Design Ideas Bassetti Architects has drafted three design concepts that reflect and respect the historic look of Highline High School. In each concept, original brick and terra cotta will be salvaged if possible and used in the design of the new school in some way. There are many possibilities we have just begun to explore for how to include historical pieces and honor history in the new school. Design Concept 1 The entrance is rebuilt, using salvaged materials where possible, to reflect the look of the existing main entrance. In a jewel-box effect, the entrance is flanked on both sides by glass panels that invite the viewer in to the new entrance lobby. East of the front entrance are the main administrative offices with the panel of smaller windows. Larger windows would showcase the career and technical education programs likely to be located on the east end of the wall. A multi-story classroom wing is proposed west of the front entrance. Click images to see larger versions/slideshow:

Design Concept 2 Here the center section of the building is rebuilt with new materials, using salvaged pieces where possible. It reflects the original look but is rebuilt without the stairs for accessibility. It is flanked on the sides by larger window openings porportional to the existing building that showcase the programs inside and support the site plan.

Design Concept 3 This design pays homage to the way the existing building is massed, with a visual reference to the three existing entrances (although the east and west ends are projecting bays with large windows.) The main entry references the light-colored existing entrance with a more contemporary appearance.

Site Plan The preliminary site plan is the result of dozens of meetings with HHS staff, district staff, community members, students and other stakeholders, including members of the HHS Design Review Committee. The preferred site plan has two main wings running east and west, connected by a diagonal commons area â€“ a “spine” â€“ that aligns with the view to the southeast of Mt. Rainier. The preliminary plan indicates the north wing, facing SW 152nd Street, is two stories high. The south wing, next to Memorial Stadium, is three stories high. Neither the Performing Arts Center nor Memorial Stadium are part of the redesign.