Designed by SKL Architects, Westside School is a pre-K through eighth-grade school serving 360 students that were about to lose its lease. At the same time and nearby, the Hillcrest Presbyterian Church, located in a residential neighborhood southwest of downtown Seattle, found itself in an awkward position. Its congregation had decreased in size over the years but remained in a large well-loved, but an inefficient 1970s-era facility.

A plan was born: the church would co-locate with another church nearby and sell its facility to the school to fund ongoing operations. The soaring, vaulted wood roof structures of the church would be resurrected as a new home for Westside school.
Existing New Diagram
As stewards of the next generation, Westside School was committed to extensively reusing the existing church structure and minimizing the embodied energy used in new construction. The church?s soaring wishbone-shaped nave was the departure point for our imagination. Inspired by the soaring nave the 45? glulam arches were preserved and space was reconfigured to accommodate classrooms, offices, support, lunchroom, and storage, preserving the existing gym. Photography: Lara Swimmer
The challenge was to connect the existing structure to the new entry foyer in a way that communicates a sense of unity. The architecture provides a range of engaging learning environments. Idea spaces carved into the classrooms provide flex space for spontaneous meetings and informal, smaller, group learni...