Northwestern High School

1. 2008 Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture Northwestern High School Maple, Wisconsin High School Design Concept Award LHB

2. Northwestern High School Main Exterior Image

3. Community Environment: The District is located in the northern most part of Wisconsin along the beautiful south shore of Lake Superior. The District covers a rural area of approximately 500 square miles and is home to more than 5,500 people. Within 20 miles west of Maple are the Twin Ports of Duluth and Superior with a combined population of approximately 115,000 people. The District features many beautiful lakes, forests, parks, and rivers such as the famous Brule River. The Tri-County Corridor, a trail extending 65 miles from Superior to Ashland, attracts those who enjoy snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, four-wheeling, walking, running, and biking. Maple area offers an exceptional quality of life with a below average cost of living.

4. Auditorium Community Environment (Cont.):The School District of Maple has an excellent reputation locally, regionally, and state wide. The students excel in both academic and co-curricular activities. The high level of expectations and excellence is achieved through effective quality programs, staff members, and a strong following by family members.

5. Commons/ Media Center Learning Environment: This facility floor plan has many types of spaces that adapt to various teaching approaches. Internal glazing allows separate but monitored group learning with passive observation and daylight sharing. Direct access to wetlands from science labs offers students experimental hands-on learning opportunities. Technology including wireless networks was integrated into every classroom for use of projectors, PC’s, and smart boards for instructional purposes.

6. Fitness Center Physical Environment: High Performance features/products were used throughout the building and site. Water collection ponds and wetlands remove sediment and pollutants from water to protect stream corridors. Natural prairie grasses and wetlands enhance student learning experiences while further reducing maintenance, runoff and pollutants. Excavated soil was used to create the playfields and fill the on site waste water pond.

7. Media Center Physical Environment (Cont.) : Durable high-mass materials were used to reduce building maintenance and energy costs. Other materials include recycled content green-label carpet and low or no VOC paints. Low glare day-lighting with light sensors create energy savings. Displacement ventilation was used using 100% fresh air and radiant floor heat. These systems present optimum student comfort, excellent indoor air quality, and opportunities for learning and understanding the surrounding environment.

8. Corridor Planning Process: A community group, fed with information from the district and architects, was involved in the planning and design process to identify and integrate the needs of the district and surrounding communities. The first referendum in June failed at $32 million. The community group stepped forward and made recommendations to increase the deferred maintenance dollars and reduce backlog.

9. Cafeteria/ Commons Planning Process (Cont. ) : As a result the referendum passed 6 months later during a national election at $33 million. Life cycle costing was a base point for design team recommendations to the district. School board meetings provided final opportunity for community review and comment with the board giving formal approval to proceed at each design phase. As a result of district and community input, a cohesive facility was achieved allowing flexibility, growth, separation of grade levels, and secure after-hours access for lifelong community learning.

10. Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2008 Project Data

11. Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2008 Project Details

12. Narrative – Supporting Text The District: School District of Maple is 20 miles east of Duluth / Superior in Northwestern WI. The district suffers from declining enrollment on the east side of the district in the rural lakes area and moderate growth at the east end of the district. The referendum’s goal was to add onto an existing facility and upgrade existing square feet to house 550 high school students, grades 9-12. One focus of the project was to blend the new and the old construction. The project was community-based from the beginning including bringing the local medical provider St Mary’s Duluth Clinic (SMDC) on board to provide occupational and physical therapy at the rural school to reduce travel time for local residents, the school will provide the spaces and SMDC will provide the professional personnel and equipment for the facility with extended access hours from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm. Planning: Planning for the facility focused on: Control of access before and after hours for community access Control of access during school hours to improve safety of students while class is in session Life-Cycle cost decision making Reducing environmental impact Embracing the heritage of the existing area and fitting the facility into the context of district Creating a school that can act as a community facility

13. Narrative – Supporting Text (Continued) Sustainable / High Performance: The form of the school was shaped in response to environmental design features, such as: Controlled day-lighting in classrooms and major use spaces Natural ventilation via operable windows supplemented with displacement ventilation providing 100% fresh air Radiant floor heat and high mass construction provide further synergies to energy conservation Three story stacking to optimize heating performance reduce site footprint and deal with existing topography Building and fields positioned to reduce wetland impact and preserve existing trees that were on site Storm water run-off was reduced due to the development Rainwater is collected in below slab tanks (105,000 gallons) to provide a clean water source for the local volunteer fire departments use and field irrigation. Materials and systems selected for construction respond to energy and durability factors such as: High mass walls, floors, roofs, decks create “heat sinks” to improve energy efficiency Brick, fiber cement panels, wood windows and terrazzo were selected by life cycle cost analysis Daylight controls and occupancy sensors reduce lighting load Building automation system to control on/off times of lights, mechanical systems, and building security Site treatments were selected to reduce maintenance runoff and pollutants. These included: Water collection ponds and wetlands for sediment control Natural prairie grasses and wetlands also supplement instruction Runoff from athletic fields and pavement sheet flows across prairie grass plantings slowing runoff rates and removing pollutants The integration of systems selected offers a reduction in energy costs by as much as 40%. These systems present optimum student comfort, quality indoor air and opportunities for learning and understanding the surrounding environment.