St. Michael's Association for Special Education, located near Window Rock, AZ,
is an institution that has been established for the schooling and therapy of approximately
100 mentally and physically challenged Navajo children and adults. The existing school
buildings are located on a 20 acre site are structurally unsound, crowded and poorly
equipped to handle the daily functions of the school.
FBM has outlined criteria by which the ideal solution to the problems at St.
Michael's maybe resolved. The selected design alternative is a single, one story, 70,600
square foot multipurpose building that addresses site, structural, electrical, HVAC,
plumbing, fire protection, and other concerns of the students, faculty, and staff of St.
Michael's.
The building is located on the previously developed portion of St. Michael's site.
The site is regraded in order to accommodate the building materials and methods chosen
and to add to the long term stability of the structure. Architectural features of the building
fall in line with the client's preferences. Masonry bearing walls and steel KCS joists
make up the superstructure of the building and are supported by continuous footings.
Pilasters are employed for lateral support. A ground source heat pump is employed for
HVAC. Solar power supplements 509,000 kWh per year of electricity supplied to the
building.
Our design brings about a safe, efficient building that promotes a healing and
nurturing school environment at a cost of about $7 million