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Stewart Middle School Renovation & Addition

Tacoma, WA

Landscape design driven by history and community needs.

Market

K-12 Schools

Services

Landscape Architecture

Features

Historic Preservation

Traffic Circulation Redesign

Low-Maintenance Drought-Tolerant Plant Palette

Large Rain Garden

Preservation of Community Garden

Landscape design driven by history and community needs.

AHBL is provided landscape architectural services in connection with the complete renovation of the historic Stewart Middle School building and grounds. AHBL landscape architecture worked with the architect, Tacoma School District, the GC/CM and an Advisory Committee made up of teachers, administrators, parents, students and community members in a dynamic and collaborative design process. At each level of the design process, fair access, neighborhood connectivity, sustainability, and historic preservation informed the decisions about how best to arrange parking, circulation, gathering spaces, sports/activity areas, and green stormwater infrastructure elements.

The limited 8.3 acre site needed to address pedestrian and vehicular circulation, provide a regulation sports field and two half basketball courts, integrate a new building addition, and address the site’s historic features.

The site required a cost-effective overhaul of bus lanes, drop-off areas, parking, and delivery areas. AHBL worked closely with the City and traffic engineers to create the circulation plan. The landscape design includes drought-tolerant low-maintenance plantings, preservation of existing historic trees, on-site food production, and a large rain garden to remove pollutants from stormwater. Emphasis was placed on preserving and enhancing the on-site community garden. The new synthetic track and field and basketball courts were designed to accommodate a variety of recreational experiences.

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