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ARTONDALE ELEMENTARY
A KELP INSPIRED HOME FOR THE OTTERS
Interior Design and Renderings by: Samira Yasmin with Integrus Architecture
Architect: Integrus Architecture
Location: Gig Harbor, Washington
Completion Date: March 2022
The entry greets you playfully and with a spot to wash your hands as you enter.
Gig Harbor, Washington, is a waterfront town tucked against lush forested land just 50 miles from the heart of Seattle. When the bonds passed to build Artondale Elementary, it was a big deal to the community, which had made a home in outdated buildings in desperate need of a replacement for many years. But that never determined the heart of spirit of the community - and as a designer who focused on K-12 schools for 5 years, I can say with absolute certainty I have never come across an elementary school with such a team spirit as the Artondale Otters. When we set out to design a new school for them, the education of the students was always the first priority, and I was determined that the concept of the school itself should be a teaching moment.
A comparison and contrast to rendering vs reality. Construction is nearly complete with a few components - mainly the acoustical panels still awaiting installation.
Before designing, I started by researching the school's mascot, the Sea Otter. You may not know this, but you've found a healthy ecosystem if you find otters. You see, otters' favorite food is sea urchins, which are invasive species that grow on the seafloor and prevent plant life from flourishing. But introduce sea otters into the mix who like to snack on them, and suddenly the seafloor is clear to grow kelp - also known as seaweed. When seaweed grows, it creates a haven for sea creatures, who benefit significantly from its protection and nutrition. This big circle moment inspired the palette and concept throughout and the messaging behind why I chose the materials I did.
This premise of a flourishing environment that is a haven is needed to translate into all design aspects—avoiding toxic materials containing red-list chemicals that could not be recycled, incinerated, or reused. While building is inherently resource-draining and difficult on the environment, and more insidiously our bodies - my goal was to minimize the harm as much as possible. All the materials chosen for the interior are healthy, not containing any red-list chemicals with superior indoor air quality certifications. By doing so, we knew the occupants would not be affected in the long term from high exposures in these spaces where they spend most of their day.
The library has become to the favorite hotspot for kids who like to meet at lunch to play board games. The librarian has made it a strict no-technology space.
Each bathroom has a feature wall - the concept is glimmering light on the water's surface. The tiles came from Mosa, are Greenlist Certified, No VOC, No red list chemicals, and 100% recyclable.
Pressed kelp between two panes of resin divides the kindergarten wing from the corridor.
Additionally, thinking about materials in the context of our greater society – the planet – in the present and future, our most prominent materials were made from bio-based, rapidly renewable, highly recyclable ingredients. We made sure to specify materials with clean health product declarations and transparency data -environmental product declarations - available. We were able to source some of our materials here from Washington state. I believe this project successfully changed the perception that budget projects cant also be sustainable and responsible.
Another comparison and contrast of rendering versus reality in the corridors shared areas. These are meant to be liminal, flexible teaching spaces that encourage transparency and stir curiosity among the different classrooms
The result of our team’s effort is a school that the district, the town, and our team have made us incredibly proud of. •S.
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