Giving new life to a 1909 schoolhouse
Giving a New Life to a 1909 Schoolhouse
“What is particularly unique about this project, is the successful revitalization of an abandoned centenary schoolhouse into a contemporary learning environment. Historic schoolhouses are often repurposed into apartments, museums, retails, or offices.”
A full-circle moment for Van Asselt School, originally constructed in 1909 and sitting dormant since 2016, the schoolhouse will serve as a center for education once again. Bassetti Architects takes you inside the thoughtful design choices, the sustainable mass timber new addition, and the preservation of a historic south Seattle gem.
Van Asselt School Featured on Historic Seattle’s, “Preservation in Process” Blog
Read about Bassetti Architects’ historic renovation of Van Asselt School in Seattle on Historic Seattle’s Preservation in Process blog. Historic Seattle works to preserve the architectural legacy of Seattle and King County’s built environment. Their Preservation in Progress blog offers updates, stories, and highlights of goings-on in the storied past of Seattle-area preservation efforts.
Historic Seattle also recently congratulated Bassetti’s Principal Emeritus, Lorne McConachie, with the 2022 Beth Chave Award for Preservation Champion. Bassetti is particularly excited to be working with Seattle Public Schools on the Van Asselt School as it is a fusion of historical charm and new sustainable practices.
The Landmarked two-story four-classroom schoolhouse building is being renovated, and a new two-story classroom and gymnasium addition will accommodate an additional 650 students on campus. This new addition is designed with sustainable structural system of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and will adjoin the Original Van Asselt School in a way that maintains the prominence of the original schoolhouse entry and provides a backdrop against which the landmark structure is featured.
Bassetti Architects’ Experience with Historic School Renovations
Our firm has specialized in architectural design of educational buildings since 1961, only adding to Fred Bassetti’s history of pacific northwest architecture beginning in 1947. Between our Seattle and Portland offices, our design teams have worked on dozens of historic renovations, historic restorations, and adaptive reuses of educational buildings.
Some of the firm’s most iconic educational historic preservation projects include designated Seattle landmark Lincoln High School in Seattle, WA and Roosevelt High School in Portland, OR which included significant rehabilitation, new construction, and demolition. Both schools have been beacons of their respective communities for many years and Bassetti’s work on them ensures their seamless transition into 21st century icons.
Learning from the Past to Build Beacon Hill’s Future
Learn more about Bassetti’s processes for preserving the storied past of Van Asselt School and the marriage of new sustainable technology in a neighborhood landmark on the Preservation in Process blog. From protection of chalkboards marked with the writing of arithmetic lessons past to careful window removal and restoration, the Van Asselt project is marked with reminders of the neighborhood’s history and will help shape the future of Beacon Hill.
