Middle school is a time of tremendous emotional and physical changes, and schools that best serve this student population acknowledge this. So when Thunder Mountain Middle School was in the design phase, special attention was paid to creating a facility that would both nurture kids and nudge them toward the challenges of high school. BLRB created a school beloved by both students and teachers and reflective of its community in the shadow of Mt. Rainier.

The design process for Thunder Mountain began, as with all BLRB projects, with a thorough planning process in which all the constituents of the school gave their input. The educational specifications / architectural program strongly focused on the needs of middle school age children.  Also important was community access to the facilities, and that the design be a strong reflection of both the towns of Enumclaw and Black Diamond, as well as the surrounding natural splendor.

BLRB created a school design based on the “school within a school” concept. Three educational “neighborhoods,” each serving 200-250 students, were created, each consisting of classrooms, a shared project room, staff spaces and a counseling center. The three neighborhoods, designed with facades that mimic historic and well known locations and architecture of Black Diamond and Enumclaw, are clustered around the library, which serves as the educational hub to the school. These spaces are then linked via interior corridors or “streets” to the central core spaces or “town center” in the facility, truly the heart of the school.  It is a vibrant, active space that functions as a large meeting room, lunchroom, auditorium and extracurricular support space for community use after hours.

Sustainable features of the building include maximizing use of daylighting, natural ventilation in all classrooms; use of “green” building materials, occupancy controlled lighting and HVAC, water conservation, energy-efficient windows and other materials.

Citation Award, Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI)

“In an era when intense pressure often fractures professional relationships and the results seem to come up short, I can only state my admiration for these professional who have contributed so much to our District. I recommend them to you without reservation.”

–Dr. Arthur Jarvis, Superintendent

Grades 6-8
650 students (with core facilities for 800)
80,000 SF
Construction Cost: $11,600,000
Completed 2001