Franklin High School
franklin high school
Seattle, Washington
Client
Seattle Public Schools
size:
230,000 sf
year:
1990
Awards
2001, Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, Award of Merit
Bassetti completed the renovation of this Beaux Arts Seattle landmark in 1990, and recently worked with the district to complete additional upgrades. The initial restoration included a new performing arts facility at its core, to honor the school’s commitment to the essential role of creativity in the education of young people. Both the arts and architecture are celebrated in the preservation of the existing building and design of a new addition for this inner city school. Once considered the most beautiful school west of the Mississippi, Franklin had fallen into significant disrepair and faced demolition. Following a community effort to save the school, Bassetti led citizens, district staff, and a team of designers and engineers in preserving Franklin and reshaping the campus.
Design requirements were threefold: accommodate educational programs while seamlessly integrating seismic, life safety, mechanical, and electrical upgrades; preserve and seismically stabilize the existing building; and gracefully transition the scale between the
landmark school and the adjacent single-family neighborhood. Franklin’s rehabilitation became a national standard, inspiring districts throughout the country to carefully consider the preservation of their landmark schools.
Almost 25 years after the initial renovation, Bassetti was asked to work with the district on a complete window and door restoration / replacement to ensure thermal comfort and bring the school up to current safety standards. . A 3-dimensional scan of the building helped match window shapes and trim profiles to the existing windows.
Transom windows over the doors, with their historic mullions, were restored instead of replaced. Paint scrapings and historic photos guided the choice of exterior colors — off-white windows and green on the doors and restored transoms — a return to the original colors of the school. The window interiors are wood with a clear finish, adding warmth to the classrooms not seen with painted windows.
