Date Posted: 06.18.2026
On June 11th, we joined the Bertschi School community and project partners to celebrate the start of construction on the New Schoolhouse building. Head of School Raymond Yu honored the existing building, soon to be demolished, that has served Bertschi students and staff for many years of learning and growing together. He also underscored the moment’s importance as a transformative step in the campus’s ability to serve evolving pedagogies.
The New Schoolhouse is a three-story building for Bertschi School that is designed to enrich learning for students and extend the capacity of this urban K-5 campus in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. The New Schoolhouse balances sensitivity to adjacent residences with a warm, modern expression that reflects the independent school’s values, using mass timber throughout to create an inviting, biophilic learning environment.
Designed to serve approximately 100 students in kindergarten through second grade, the New Schoolhouse includes seven classrooms, shared learning areas, and flexible spaces that support collaboration and evolving teaching methods. Improved accessibility and operational efficiencies support students, teachers and families across the broader campus.
The client and design team centered social equity, accessibility and inclusion throughout the design process to promote occupant wellbeing. SEAM and Salmon Safe certification targets ensure the campus supports belonging and long-term environmental stewardship.
Mithun is providing integrated architecture, interior design and landscape design services. The project team includes Bloom Projects, owner’s representative; DCI Engineers, structural engineer; Mayfly Engineering + Design, civil engineer; Sazan Group, lighting design; The Greenbusch Group, acoustics and vertical transportation; and M.Thrailkill Architect LLC, specifications. Venture General Contracting is the general contractor, also overseeing the design-build team for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection and technology.
