WVSA Charter School
Northwest Washington, DC

2006 On the boards

Plans for this creative middle + high school are centered on a light-filled atrium with open stairs that provides daylight to the lower levels. Open studios, classrooms, and offices are located around the atrium in spaces designed to inspire learning. A large, colorful wall will create a visual connection between the floors and provide a place to display the students’ work. A street-front gallery with a coffee shop will display the work of the young artists. Built on the site of an old auto showroom near the Washington DC Convention Center, the new facility will incorporate three historic structures.

Designed to high green building standards, the school will be an exhibit in creating a vibrant, sustainable built environment for learning. All materials were chosen for their sustainable properties and the health of the teachers and children. Building systems were designed for resource efficiency, durability, and ease of maintenance. Spaces were designed for the comfort of their inhabitants and for flexibility to allow for changes in use.