The New Bertschi Center

Throughout Bertschi’s history, the urban campus has grown to meet the needs of our educational program through prudent deliberation and good design. The plan for developing the property on the south end of the campus was the result of extensive conversations, thought, and hard work by the Bertschi staff, Board of Trustees, and the extended community. The new building provides needed spaces to support Bertschi’s outstanding academic and co-curricular programs including additional space for art, music, and physical education, as well as outdoor play areas.

The Bertschi Center is the first LEED gold certified building on an independent school campus, not only in Seattle, but the Pacific Northwest region. Designed by The Miller Hull Partnership, an award winning northwest firm, the Bertschi Center incorporates lots of natural light and interesting materials - elements the firm is known for.

The architect and contractor worked with Bertschi students to share information about the construction process as the building took shape. Many of the sustainable features of the building and its systems are explained and made available to the children as part of the curriculum through a touch screen monitor located in the art gallery. A cut-away display in the wall illustrates some of the "green" elements normally hidden within the wall cavity. A rainwater collection system stores roof runoff in large galvanized steel cisterns, which have become playful forms in the play areas. One of the cisterns provides water for the children to water their gardens. Solar panels displayed as tree-like elements are part of a renewable energy system, a weather station on the roof correlates daily conditions with energy use and production, and a green roof covers the entry walkway.

A conscious effort was made to choose building and site materials that are sustainable and have the lowest long-term impact on the environment. Wherever possible, rapidly renewable materials were used including wool carpeting, cotton batt insulation, cork, wheatboard wall panels and cabinetry, and a bamboo gym floor. For other building components, products with recycled content were sought out.

The Bertschi Center offers visible teaching tools for educating our students about issues surrounding the scarcity of resources and alternative energy sources. Many more curriculum "launching points" emanate from the physical presence of the new building.