Rainier Beach High School
Rainier Beach High School
Seattle, Washington
Client
Seattle Public School
SIZE
297,000 sf
year
2025
Partner architect
Moody Nolan
certifications
LEED Platinum (anticipated)
Rainier Beach High School serves one of the most diverse communities in the US, with more than 30 languages spoken and a 97% minority enrollment. Surrounded by single-family homes, the school is in a low-income neighborhood where 75% of students are considered disadvantaged. The high school was not only in need of physical repair, it did not address the needs of students and teachers. Students took to the streets in 2020 demanding that Rainier Beach receive much-needed attention from the most recently passed BEX V (Building Excellence Levy). Community involvement remains high with current and graduated students being present for the planning, design, and construction phases. Over 1,000 people attended the groundbreaking ceremony in October 2022.
Bassetti is partnered with Moody Nolan, the largest African American owned firm in the country to design the replacement school. The design will create a modern learning environment to meet the diverse needs of the district. Designed with student and community input the new building will integrate into the fabric of the community, serving as a beacon of opportunity. Culturally responsive design strategies prioritize building accessibility, trauma informed design, sustainability, and connectivity to the neighborhood via pedestrian circulation. It exceeds requirements with forward-thinking educational programming. Rich athletic traditions and a culture of inclusivity contribute to a strong sense of community pride and involvement in the school.
Anticipating LEED Platinum certification, the replacement high school will lead the way in sustainability and energy-savings setting the example that green school architecture is attainable on-time and within budget.
The community stakeholder engagement process prioritized amplifying community voices to create a responsive design solution that preserves the school’s historical legacy. The construction will be phased so that students will remain on campus, allowing them to see the physical transformation of the much loved school.
Video courtesy of Converge Media
"Design firms, Bassetti Architects/Moody Nolan are providing architectural/engineering services for Seattle Public Schools $173M replacement of Rainier Beach High School. Their thoughtful, purposeful leadership and ability to communicate clearly with school and community stakeholders has led to an extraordinary design solution that achieves community goals, exceeds educational program requirements and will lead the nation in sustainability and energy conservation measures all while remaining within budget and on schedule. Simply put, these two firms have been great collaborators, who work seamlessly together and have exceeded our expectations."
Richard Best
Director of Capital Projects - Seattle Public Schools
