Athey Creek Middle School West Linn-Wilsonville School District | West Linn, OR

This brand-new middle school sits on a sloping site overlooking the Tualatin River.

Arcadis worked closely with West Linn-Wilsonville School District to complete their long-range facility plan and capital improvement bond program in 2019. During long-range facility planning efforts, it became obvious that growth at the secondary education level was set to exceed the current capacity of the district’s middle schools. The new middle school project was proposed, in an accessible location with increased capacity for 181 students, new public access road, parking for 200, and track and field amenities.

Deliberately nestled into the hillside to preserve existing views from the adjoining neighborhood, the building will be fashioned from timeless materials that relate to the natural context and a nearby historic homestead site. The main facades will be created using pre-cast concrete panels to reduce waste, increase energy efficiency, and improve installation time. The building will contain a double-sided stage to allow performance to occur in either the gymnasium or student commons, allowing the flexibility needed for a school with a thriving performing arts program.

Learning neighborhoods are arranged around a central double height library, with access to the external learning courtyard and view to the river beyond. Each neighborhood has five general classrooms, one science classroom, one small group room, and restrooms arranged around an ‘L’ shaped porch that provides both visual supervision and a sense of separation for small groups of students.