Perched along the ridge of Beacon Hill, the former Mercer Middle School campus lacked a strong presence within its community and offered little more than a vast, paved expanse for outdoor space. The new design transforms the site by reorienting the school, restoring natural topography, and creating a sustainable learning environment framed by native trees. A robust stakeholder engagement process—bringing together students, teachers, staff, community members, and the design team—helped shape the project’s guiding principles, design aspirations, and sustainability goals.

A Campus That Welcomes and Connects
Designed to serve 1,000 students, the academic wings are thoughtfully placed toward the back of the site to provide both privacy and direct access to outdoor learning areas. At the southern edge, the main entry houses administration, gym, and shared community spaces, ensuring these high-use areas are easily accessible and welcoming. Shifting the building footprint closer to the street strengthens the school’s civic presence, inviting learners in and positioning the campus as a vibrant neighborhood anchor.

A central corridor acts as the building’s primary connector and draws inspiration from the Indigenous name for the land, translated as the “green and yellow spine.” This concept influenced the building’s layout, materials, and color palette—embedding the cultural landscape directly into the architecture.

Sustainability at the Forefront
Sustainability played a critical role throughout the design process, reflecting the priorities of students, staff, and community stakeholders. The building is designed for low embodied carbon and long-term energy efficiency through its mass timber structural system, ground loop heat pump, durable brick façade, and low-VOC interior materials. Expansive daylighting strategies illuminate the interiors, while carefully framed views connect students and teachers to the surrounding neighborhood and distant mountain ranges.

Showcasing the beauty of mass timber and the power of natural light, the new Mercer Middle School creates a learning environment that is warm, resilient, and deeply rooted in its community and landscape.