Educational

Northland Preparatory Academy Expansion

Northland Preparatory Academy (NPA) is a public charter high school that had been operating out of an existing industrial building. As NPA's curriculum and student body grew they eventually ran out of space to offer the quality, well rounded education for which they were founded.

smithARCHITECTS (sA) began working with NPA in 2004 to design a new 20,000 s.f. expansion to the existing facility that would accommodate their current and future needs. BSA worked extensively with NPA to develop a program that met these needs and would fit within the limited construction budget. This new expansion consists of fine arts classrooms, teacher's lounge, full size gymnasium and stage, girls and boys locker rooms, and a band room. sA designed a facility that is multi-tiered to accommodate the severe slope, while also minimizing the scale of the building to reduce the impact on the surrounding residential neighborhood. The floor plan layout of the facility was organized to preserve as many of the existing ponderosa pine trees as possible, while also orienting clerestory windows to maximize natural day lighting throughout the circulation spaces. A new vaulted main entry gallery, enclosed at either end with full height glass curtain walls, provides a dramatic entrance and public gathering space.

sA worked closely with NPA to select a general contractor early on in the design process to become part of the team and act as the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR). Bud Woodruff Construction (BWC) was selected and immediately became an integral part of the project team. Construction costs were provided and analyzed throughout the design process and necessary modifications were incorporated to ensure that the project fit within the established budget. BWC worked with the entire team to establish the construction schedule that would provide the least impact on the operation of the facility.

PROJECT INFORMATION
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Size: 19,400 s.f.
Completion: June, 2006