CLT panels installed at Van Asselt school!

Van Asselt school CLT Panels Installed!

Old Van Asselt Gets a Sustainable Addition

On Monday, September 26th we enthusiastically watched the first Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels installed at the Van Asselt School building addition. This building is the first of four CLT projects for Bassetti.  These sustainable buildings support our commitment to the AIA 2030 Climate Strategy and create beautiful, biophilic schools for students.

A Modern Addition to a Centenary Schoolhouse

This new CLT structure will adjoin the Original Van Asselt school, constructed in 1909, in a way that maintains the prominence of the original schoolhouse entry and provides a backdrop against which the landmark structure is featured. A formal courtyard, designed to accentuate the symmetry of the 1909 façade, will further elevate the architecture and the neighborhood presence of the landmarked building. The two-story CLT classroom addition will provide space for an additional 650 students on campus.

Mass Timber

Mass timber buildings have significantly reduced embodied carbon versus concrete and steel frame structures. The wood structure creates opportunities for a biophilic design approach, using natural wood materials to connect people with nature and reduce occupant stress levels. CLT panels and glulam columns and beams are part of a low-carbon future. Mass timber is one way that architects can address climate change right now, by reducing the carbon footprint of the buildings we design.