Date Posted: 06.05.2025
Mithun is honored to announce that it has received an American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Award for the design of The Bush School New Upper School.
The new Upper School building at The Bush School is the largest Passive House certified school building in the Western U.S., and first Salmon Safe certified school in the country with stormwater systems that enhance the watershed and protect salmon habitats. The Zero Energy certified academic building features a post-and-beam glulam structure and mass plywood panel decking to reduce embodied carbon and optimize construction.
“This is a watershed moment for the school, and we are proud to achieve this national recognition. The architects and builders listened to the school’s team and created a beautiful edifice that is the physical manifestation of our mission and values,” said Percy Abram, head of school at The Bush School, an independent K-12 school in Seattle.
Nestled between protected exceptional trees and the century-old Gracemont Hall, the original school building on the campus, the new Upper School building features healthy materials, natural light and flexible spaces that serve as a learning laboratory for students in grades 9-12. The lower-level entry on the historic Olmstead Landscape Corridor on Lake Washington Boulevard creates a new inclusive portal to the upper campus (which previously had no accessible route) for individuals with mobility challenges.
“It’s rare to work with such a committed client that couples high aspirations for sustainable design with the strong intention to have their facilities be a visible example of change in the broader community,” said Mithun partner Brendan Connolly FAIA. “From the outset, The Bush School wanted this project to matter to more than just its students, to also broadcast powerful new ideas like Mass Timber and achieving Passive House certification to the broader city and region. It’s exciting to see the positive impact happening beyond its property lines!”
The new Upper School building is the first Phius Passive House certified project to receive an AIA COTE Top Ten award. The optimized design was simulated and tested for passive survivability using the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome conditions with three days above 100 degrees and for the building having no power. Even at 108 degrees peak outside temperature on the third day, the interior heat index remained below 90 degrees.
This is the ninth AIA COTE Top Ten Award for Mithun, continuing the firm’s leadership among national practices with multiple COTE honors. The Top Ten Awards program is the profession’s best-known recognition program for sustainable design excellence. It highlights projects that exemplify the integration of great design and great performance, delivering social, economic and ecological value.
