K-12 EDUCATION
K-12 Learning Environments Designed for Student Success
For more than five decades, AHBL has helped shape the environment where Washington’s students learn, grow, and discover their potential. We partner with school districts and architects to design and modernize private and public schools, including high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools. We are a recognized leader in K-12 school design, having completed more than 300 projects for over 60 school districts statewide.
With integrated expertise in civil engineering, structural engineering, landscape architecture, land use planning, and land surveying, our experience spans new construction, renovations, upgrades, and modernizations. Every project is guided by a thorough understanding of how physical spaces impact how students learn, teachers teach, and communities grow.
Our work reflects our commitment to educational excellence, safety, accessibility, and long-term value. Whether designing a new high school campus, renovating a STEM lab, or modernizing an elementary playground, we collaborate closely with administrators, educators, and facility leaders to create spaces that serve today’s learners and tomorrow’s communities.
AHBL participates in the planning and design of public-school campus environments across Washington State, from small-scale upgrades and renovations to district-wide modernization programs. Our work addresses the real-world challenges of public schools, and the demanding expectations placed on facilities that serve students, educators, and the broader community every day.
Our experience includes:
- Circulation and ADA improvements for buses, vehicles, and pedestrians
- Early learning centers and specialty education facilities
- Feasibility studies and bond planning studies
- Full-campus redevelopments and phased renovations
- Gymnasiums, athletic fields, and outdoor learning environments
- High schools, middle schools, elementary schools, and early learning centers
- New and modernized classroom buildings
- Portable classrooms and incremental campus expansions
- Safety, security, and accessibility upgrades
- Utility, drainage, and site infrastructure upgrades
Our teams understand how real-world conditions such as traffic flows, maintenance needs, stormwater requirements, life-cycle durability, population growth, and more, influence the effectiveness of K-12 schools. We work closely with districts to design functional campuses that promote hands-on learning, multidisciplinary curriculum, and flexible educational spaces.
See the Vision Come to Life
How We Help School Districts
Educational projects involve many partners, tight timelines, complex development plans, and buildings that must remain operational throughout construction. To ensure these complex needs are always met, AHBL provides services and guidance that helps districts make informed decisions and keep projects moving smoothly.
Campus Planning That Reflects Real Conditions
Clear Documentation for Permitting and Construction
Coordination with Agencies and Project Partners
Designing with Future Generations in Mind
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Our ServicesOur Core ServicesK-12 schools are a vital part of a community’s infrastructure—and the community wants to be involved. These projects require local outreach, clear communication, complex coordination, predictable scheduling, and design solutions that meet the community’s long-term needs. AHBL’s integrated teams deliver a spectrum of services including planning, design, engineering, and permitting.
- Civil Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Landscape Architecture
- Land Use Planning
- Land Surveying
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Civil EngineeringA K-12 school is a massive infrastructure investment. To help ensure project success at such a scale, AHBL’s civil engineers design grading, utilities, stormwater systems, ADA, pedestrian and vehicular circulation, and site infrastructure for new construction, renovations, and campus upgrades. Our site designs provide for safety, efficiency, operational needs, and long-term resilience while meeting district standards and environmental requirements.
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Structural EngineeringWe design structural systems for classroom buildings, gymnasiums, commons areas, and support facilities. Our engineers integrate seismic resilience, future flexibility, and practical constructability into each solution, helping districts maintain safe, long-lasting learning environments.
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Landscape ArchitectureOutdoor educational environments are fundamental to the student learning experience. We design outdoor classrooms, courtyards, play areas, accessible pathways, natural grass and synthetic fields, and nature-inspired spaces based on local ecology, for outdoor instruction, hands-on projects, and community use. Since schools often become neighborhood landmarks for generations, our landscape architects prioritize durability and ease of long-term maintenance.
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Land Use PlanningAHBL’s planners work with school districts on zoning reviews, SEPA documentation, site capacity assessments, and permitting coordination. We help campuses align with municipal requirements, long-range plans, population growth forecasts, and regulatory expectations while maintaining clear and efficient project delivery.
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Land SurveyingDetailed survey data is particularly essential when constructing or renovating a school, where existing utilities, aging infrastructure, and tight sites often present challenges. AHBL provides boundary surveys, topographic surveys, utility research, construction staking, and mapping that help teams plan confidently and reduce unexpected field conflicts.
AHBL provides planning, design, and engineering services that help school districts deliver safe, resilient, and future-ready learning environments. We welcome the opportunity to be a key partner on your next campus project.