Evergreen High School, mass timber

Evergreen High School was an important replacement high school for the Highline School District and the White Center community. The project design sought to achieve the district’s sustainability goals to not only reduce the carbon footprint of the building’s construction process but also its long-term operation. The new building offers a modern, innovative design that showcases mass timber elements throughout its two interconnected buildings – the academic wing and the larger multi-purpose building.

The academic wing is a three-story classroom building constructed of mass timber columns, beams and engineered wood panels. These elements not only enhance the building’s structural integrity, but offers a warm, inviting interior environment. The open structure of the mass timber system allows for expansive windows in every classroom, channeling abundant daylight and highlighting the natural warmth of the wood finishes. This design choice offers a more conducive learning environment and aligns with the school's motto, "Dig Deep, Rise Up, Branch Out," reflecting a connection to the natural environment.

Project Highlights:

• One of Washington’s largest high school mass timber structures to date
• Conducted comprehensive cost analysis comparing mass timber to conventional steel construction, demonstrating viability within fixed budget
• Coordinated parallel installation with separate crews for timber academic wing and steel multi-purpose building
• Pioneered use of thinner 3-ply CLT floor systems through thoughtful program layout, reducing timber volume while maintaining performance
• Demonstrated that high school programmatic needs can harmonize with mass timber structural efficiency