Tour and Happy Hour

River Grove Elementary

Tuesday, November 5, 2024
4:30 – 5:30 pm Pacific
Happy Hour to follow tour

5850 SW McEwan Rd
Lake Oswego, OR 97035

The Re-Imagined River Grove Elementary School is a thoughtful, environmentally progressive replacement of the original 1967 elementary school. The design is the result of a collaborative effort involving students and teachers, with the aim of improving student wellbeing and facilitating teaching and learning. Embracing the stunning natural surroundings, the building plan supports an educational experience that extends beyond the confines of the classroom, fostering a greater connection to the natural world. By addressing the challenges of a fragmented school community caused by the previous facility layout and the impact of a global pandemic, the new design fosters a cohesive and connected environment. In a region formerly known as a prime location for passive design, architects in the Pacific Northwest are having to adjust to a new normal brought on by climate change. In the spring of 2020, Arcadis started designing a new elementary school in Lake Oswego. In the months that followed, the region was plagued with a pandemic, smoke-filled air brought on by forest fires, heat domes, and ice storms that left residents without power for weeks at a time. In response, the district and their school community called for change. River Grove Elementary School is a fully electric, certified path-to-net-zero building. A collaboration between the school district, design team, and local utility provider enabled further innovation by developing a microgrid design, one of the first American schools to feature this innovation and playing an active role in the state’s effort to reach zero carbon energy production by 2040.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore the ways in which school design supports student health and wellbeing.
• Explain the components of the design that provide climate resilience and the benefits of microgrids.
• Describe outdoor learning and connections to nature inside and outside that lead to environmental awareness and stewardship.
• Explain the inclusive and collaborative process that led to key design decisions during a time of great change.

Project Team:
Architect of Record: Arcadis
Landscape Architect: Walker Macy
Mechanical Engineer: Glumac
Structural Engineer: KPFF
Electrical Engineer: Glumac
Civil Engineer: K3J Consulting
Contractor: Triplett Wellman
Specialized Consultants: Technology Design – Vertex; Food Service – Halliday Associates
Owner: Lake Oswego School District

4:30 pm – 5:30 pm	Tour River Grove Elementary School 5850 SW McEwan Rd Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Following Tour	Happy Hour TBD

Members: $15 | Non-Members: $30
Event Sponsor: $250

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