Fora Landscape Architects

Ferndale School District recently held its ribbon cutting ceremony and open house for Ferndale High School at the end of May to celebrate the completion of a $98.5 million, multi-phase redevelopment of the school campus, the largest project in its history. The new Ferndale High School site design was thoughtfully developed to create a purposeful relationship between the new facilities and existing buildings, particularly the Performing Arts Center. New athletic facilities including a stadium building and track and field were developed between the new building and existing fast pitch/baseball fields, as well as a new greenhouse and facilities for aquaculture and agriculture sciences. The project team developed goals through the community engagement process to encourage connections to the natural environment and environmental stewardship, and to create compelling learning environments. Client: Ferndale School District No. 502 Architect: Dykeman Architects GC/CM: Cornerstone General Contractors, Inc. Construction Manager: Construction Services Group Civil: Freeland Harris Consulting Engineers Structural: Coughlin Porter Lundeen Landscape Architect: Fora Landscape Architects Electrical: Hargis Engineers Mechanical: Metrix Engineers

Oak Heights Elementary in the Edmonds School District had its ground breaking ceremony yesterday, much to the excitement of its school community. One of the five schools to be replaced thanks to the $700 million bond and levy package that passed thanks to voter approval with a 65% majority, the new Oak Heights Elementary School will consist of three linear, split-level buildings joined by covered outdoor walkways and a sky bridge with outdoor learning courtyards flowing between them - in line with the ‘park runs through it’ design concept. The commons, library, administration, stage, and gym are located central to the site and oriented towards Oak Road. The main entry plaza receives pedestrians from Oak Road and 18th Ave West, providing a strong central spine to the campus with site amenities including seating, bike parking, and lush plantings. The interior campus will be secure during school hours with portions open to the public after school hours. Outdoor amenities include: a multipurpose synthetic turf play field with activity course striping running around it; soft-surface play equipment with hillside slides, gaga pits, and nature play elements; hard-surface covered play with basketball courts, pickleball, and a labyrinth; outdoor amphitheater; and kindergarten trike track and secure play area. A priority for the outdoor learning courtyards and play areas was to make them inclusive. Specifically, we worked with the school’s OT/PT support program to design spaces that integrate play with therapeutic services. Aerial perspective rendering by Integrus Architecture Client: Edmonds School District GCCM: Spee West Construction Co Architect/Structural: INTEGRUS Landscape Architect: Fora Landscape Architects Civil: LPD Engineering PLLC Mechanical/Plumbing: Metrix Engineers Electrical: TFWB Engineers Inc.

Puesta del Sol Elementary in Bellevue received the 2024 A4LE Washington Chapter Merit Award at the annual A4LE Conference last weekend in Spokane. The first full-scale net-zero elementary school to be built in the state, Puesta del Sol provides an immersive Spanish language curriculum and is organized around the Teatro del Sol, a central multipurpose public space that extends out to become a covered outdoor learning connected to a large community garden, outdoor learning and play areas, and an amphitheater for outdoor performances. Both the building and the outdoor spaces were intentionally centered on a wetland restoration area that was formerly part of the old ball fields. The floorplan and outdoor amenities were designed to literally embrace the newly planted wetland, and the proposed elements like native planting and bioretention facilities elsewhere on the site are intended to further enhance the ecological value of the wetland restoration. The challenges associated with a tight site that has a large wetland in the center of it were utilized as potential design opportunities whenever possible. The difficulty of addressing the prerequisite grade change between the front and back of the building was reframed as a benefit and served the basis for the Teatro Plaza design with central learning stairs inspired by European examples like the Spanish Steps.  The restored wetland and buffer, in conjunction with the adjacent access trails, habitat structures, bioretention areas, and significant school garden space will facilitate a wide variety of opportunities for environmental education and serve as natural filtration areas providing pollutant removal, stormwater infiltration, and wildlife habitat. Congratulations to the project team! Photo: First image, Benjamin Benschneider, Second Image: Peter Tammetta, Kompan Owner: Bellevue School District Architect: Sierra-Martin Architects General Contractor: Spee West Construction Co Landscape Architect: Fora Landscape Architects Civil Engineer: LPD Engineering PLLC Structural Engineer: Coughlin Porter Lundeen

“Sometimes, just adding in something as simple as rainbow striping in a playground can help create an environment for students of all gender identities and orientations to understand that they are welcome.” We recently heard this at a staff design charrette meeting and completely agree! Happy Pride Month to our LGBTQIA+ community.

This week’s A4LE Washington Chapter Tour features Hilltop Heritage Elementary in the Renton School District. Featuring a mass timber system, Hilltop Heritage Elementary is a part of the school district’s effort to encourage sustainable construction strategies while providing beneficial learning environments that utilize natural daylight and materials to reduce stress and improve performance. Fora provided the full campus design including structured and nature-based play areas, courtyards, circulation, interpretive signage, and parking. The north side of the school campus is dedicated to play facilities, including a separate outdoor exploration area that includes a woodland trail, natural seating elements with logs and boulders, and native plantings. A courtyard between the north and south classroom wings is designed to enable outdoor learning opportunities and look onto preserved trees and the adjacent existing wetland area. Project Team: Client: Renton School District Architect: Hutteball + Oremus Architecture Landscape Architect: Fora Landscape Architects Civil: LPD Engineering PLLC Structural: Coughlin Porter Lundeen Mechanical: Metrix Engineers Electrical: Hargis Engineers GC/CM: Cornerstone General Contractors, Inc.

Spectra Marymoor recently received the 2024 Washington American Society of Landscape Architects (WASLA) Award of Honor in the Residential Design category. Spectra Marymoor is the first transit-oriented development to emerge from the newly created Marymoor Arts District in Redmond, WA. Located adjacent to the new light rail extension station into Redmond, vibrant existing retail, and great linkages to regional trail systems, the Spectra project serves as a gateway into an increasingly in-demand residential center. Fora designed every inch of the landscape surrounding the building with amenities to enhance the development’s intent as an urban village anchor blurring the line between public and private. Lushly planted courtyards with open air lounges invite residents into the landscape, while the central public promenades encourage community flow and converge at a seating and meeting area with a large sculptural art piece. The design team incorporated multiple community gardens which have promulgated a sense of community with shared stewardship. An early learning center with sensory gardens and interactive playgrounds occupies the site’s southeast corner while garden terraces, vibrantly planted with large trees, and a roof terrace further the reason for families to enthusiastically call this emerging neighborhood home. Photography Credit: Meghan Montgomery Client: Quarterra Group General Contractor: Quarterra Group Landscape Contractor: Teufel Landscape Architect: Encore Architects LA: Fora Landscape Architects Civil: KPFF Consulting Engineers Structural: Carter Quinn Norlin (formerly Bykonen Carter Quinn) Interior Designer: Vida Design Inc.

What a great turnout for the Bellingham Public Schools District Office Open House yesterday! This new office is a community asset that supports the 11,000 BPS students, their families, and all district employees. The three-level building includes multiple professional learning and conference rooms, an early learning center, a central common space for community-building, and office work areas for about 100 employees who support our schools. Work and learning spaces were designed to be accessible and open, configured in a variety of sizes and scales to encourage both collaborative and focused work. The materials chosen for construction support district sustainability goals while creating a warm and welcoming environment.   Thank you to all who attended the open house and to everyone who worked on this project!   Contractor - Dawson Construction Interiors – Walker Group NW Structural Engineer – DCI Engineers Mechanical Engineer – Metrix Engineers Electrical Engineer – TFWB Engineers Inc. Civil Engineer – Freeland & Associates, Inc Landscape Architect – Fora Landscape Architects Kitchen Design – JLR DESIGN GROUP INC Acoustic Engineer – Coffman Engineers Environmental Graphics – Dykeman Architects Cost Estimating – DCW Cost Management Surveyor – Pacific Surveying & Engineering Geotechnical Engineer – GeoEngineers Inc. Owner’s Representative – OAC Services, Inc.   #rmcarchitects #bellinghamwa #educationalarchitecture #earlylearningcenter #sustainabledesign #architecture

Smokey Point Community Park broke ground recently, and Phase 1 is taking shape with the west plaza concrete formwork in progress. Located adjacent two historical sites of interest – Rex’s Corner and the Smokey Point Café for which the local community is named, the park will serve as a community/civic center and will provide 1.8 acres of recreation to the community, with the overarching vision of creating a community space where concerts, vendor fairs, and opportunities for community events can be held and bring the community together. Phase 1 of the project will provide a community plaza space with sculptural art elements, lighting, stage, exercise track and great lawn, parking, and bathrooms. Phase 2 of the project will provide a shelter and playground. Owner: City of Arlington, Washington Project Management: Rock Project Management Services LA: Fora Landscape Architects Civil: Jacobson Consulting Engineers Architect: Dykeman Architects Structural: Seattle Structural PS Inc MEP: Metrix Engineers Council Members: Mayor Barb Tolbert, Heather Logan, Don Vanney, Debora Nelson, Michele Blythe, Marilyn Oertle, Jan Schuette, Yvonne Gallardo

Happy Earth Day!! As Earth Day comes to an end (it never really ends for us at Fora if we’re being honest), we’ve been reflecting on all the ways we as landscape architects can be better stewards of the earth. Whether it’s learning how to start conversations with industry partners, assessing our carbon impact, or realigning our values towards climate positive design, we are on it!!! Pictured below: collages made from repurposed trash collected from our office. When we’re not turning trash into art, we use Ridwell to recycle it. #earthday #landscapearchitecture

Thank you Paul and Liz at Fieldworks Custom Concrete for coming in and sharing your expertise with us about concrete top casting, mixes, formwork, joints, and so much more!