Project Description
Gottesman RTW Academy (GRTWA) was founded in 1967 and serves approximately 225 children from early childhood education through eighth grade. To achieve the school’s mission of academic excellence and nurturing students in an environment infused with the thoughtfulness & richness of Jewish life, KSS designed the new 48,000 sf educational facility with emphasis on connectivity with the environment, sustainability, community, Jewish culture, and flexibility in dynamic learning environments.
Emerging from the highest point on the hill top, the new school rises from the glacier-formed bedrock below. The exterior concrete alludes to the stone walls of Jerusalem, while vertical wooden slats filter light through the common space, echoing the surrounding landscape of mature trees—carefully preserved during construction. 60-75% of energy consumed by GRTWA is provided by a rooftop solar photovoltaic system and tracked by a display near the science center.
Says one parent,” Gottesman Academy has been the thread that binds my family’s moral fiber.” The building design directly supports the community—the school is not only a place for learning, but also a place where families come together for holidays, events, and enrichment activities beyond the typical school day. To emphasize the beauty of many of the Jewish holidays, students, family and friends come together in the community spaces and cook meals in the Gottesman kitchens, break bread in the lunchroom, and share in the nurturing community.