Project name: Washington School for the Deaf Divine Academic and Hunter Gym

Location: Vancouver, Washington

Completion: August 2024

Size: 50,527 square feet

Cost: $53 million

Owner/Developer: Washington School for the Deaf, Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth (CDHY)

Owner’s Representative: Washington State Department of Enterprise Services

Architect: Mithun

Interior Designer: Mithun

Engineers: PCS Structural Solutions, Mithun (landscape), JH Kelly (electrical)

General Contractor: Skanska USA Building

Submitting Company: Skanska USA Building

Other Associates/Key Consultants: A3 Acoustics (acoustic specialist), Kalesnikoff Mass Timber (mass timber supplier), HB/A+P: DeafSpace Consultants Hansel Bauman and Robert T. Sirvage

Subcontractors: Anderson Roofing, Archaeological Investigations Northwest, B&B Tile and Masonry, Bargreen Ellingson, Bedrock Commercial Concrete Cutting, Blind Depot, Brandsen Hardwood Floors, Brundage-Bone Concrete Pumping, Cache Valley Electric, Camblin Steel Service, Carlson Testing, CMC Steel Fabricators dba CMC Rebar, Coast to Coast Turf, Coffman Excavation, Commercial Metals, Consurco, Damac and Associates Clean, DeaMor Associates, Dennis Seven Dees Landscaping, Ednetics, Elmer’s Flag and Banner, Faithful Fence, Ground Penetrating Radar Systems, Halliday Associates, Harper Houf Peterson Righellis, Hercon Rebar & Post Tension, Inter Technology, Ironmark Surveying & Engineering, Klinger Masonry, KONE, Legend Custom Woodworking, McKinstry, Ness & Campbell Crane, Northwest Control, Northwest Geotech, Northwest Playground Equipment, NW Flooring Solutions, Performance Abatement Services, Performance Contracting, Pioneer Waterproofing, Polygon US, Precision Test & Balance, Prestige Tile & Stone, Pro-Bel Enterprises, QED Lab, Silex Investments dba Yakima Steel, Soriano Floor Finishing, Steel Encounters, Tim Lawrence dba Digital Works Production, Town & Country Fence Co. of Oregon, Town Inc. dba South Town Glass, TrailB Technologies, TT&L Sheet Metal, Ultra Quiet Floors, Vancouver Sign, W.E. Given Contracting, Western Partitions

The Washington School for the Deaf (WSD) Divine Academic and Hunter Gymnasium stands as a landmark achievement in accessible educational design, incorporating DeafSpace principles that prioritize the unique needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

The project, delivered through a progressive design-build approach by Skanska and Mithun, leveraged early collaboration with DeafSpace consultants to create spaces specifically engineered for deaf communication and learning. The warm, homelike environment fosters a sense of belonging and pride among students and staff.

Key building innovations include 8-foot-wide hallways that allow for sign language conversations while walking, and classrooms providing approximately 60 square feet per learner – twice the industry standard – arranged in horseshoe configurations that maximize visual communication.

The building’s innovative mass timber construction features exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) decks that enhance acoustic vibrations essential for spatial awareness. This structural system, installed in just 19 days, contributes to the project’s low embodied carbon emissions.

The team noted that mass timber not only met aesthetic requirements but also provided functional benefits crucial for deaf communication. The materials preserve vibrations that allow students to sense footfalls and movements throughout the building.

The front entrance of the school features an ASL Finger Spell Art Fence, which also acts as a security gate. The whole campus is fenced in for security reasons, so the team designed a welcoming inclusive art piece without making the occupants feel institutionalized.

Jobsite safety innovations included custom site fencing with viewing holes, which allowed students to safely observe the construction activities while maintaining secure separation between school operations and work zones.

The project team engaged students directly in the design process through workshops using visual learning tools. Students used color-coded blocks to outline their ideal campus, directly influencing the final design.

Sustainability achievements include targeting LEED Gold certification, achieving an Energy Use Intensity of 32.1, and utilizing an existing geothermal wellfield system combined with a highly efficient building envelope.

The project exceeded Minority and Women Business Enterprise targets, hitting 13 percent participation. Apprentice labor hit 23 percent, helping develop future skilled workers knowledgeable in mass timber construction and deaf-inclusive building practices.

Beyond serving students, the project raises public awareness of Deaf culture through campus openness to neighbors and visitors, making it a model for future educational environments that prioritize accessibility, sustainability and community connection.

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