TOTEM MIDDLE SCHOOL
Federal Way Public Schools
The academy will be sharing the same site as the Middle School, however it has an identity and character all its own. Students that attend the academy will come from throughout the district and will be in grades 6 through 10. The academy also had to be occupied within six months, therefore, it was decided to proceed with modular buildings that were incorporated into a beautifully treed area with graceful and undulating topography.
Every attempt was made to preserve the trees and topography by interlacing the modular buildings, the main path, courtyards, and plazas with them. A meandering path connects the buildings and courtyards and is the unifying element for the development. The courtyards can be monitored from the classrooms, yet provide “hang out” space for the students and act as “outdoor classroom areas”. The path winds through the trees while the courtyards are built around them. The academy is built in a warm, inviting, peaceful, and natural setting, which is in contrast with fast paced technology housed within the buildings.
