Proj Overview

PROJECT OVERVIEW

West Des Moines Community School completed the $28-million expansion project at the high school in summer 2024. The school district is proud to showcase the addition to the school and the community. Designed by Shive-Hattery, an experienced firm in education design, the building creates a space that supports the goals of the school as well as embodies the values of serving the community. The 29,000-square-foot two-story building addition integrates an open-design concept with an innovative layout

Read more about this project in the Summer 2025 issue of Ascent.

PRECAST SOLUTION

To meet the distinctive requirements of career and technical education programs, the design team wanted an economical building solution that offered consistent quality and efficiency. Prefabrication took advantage of flexible bay sizes, year-round manufacturing in a controlled environment, and faster installation that minimized disruptions to school operations.

 

Project Team

Architect

Shive-Hattery Architecture Engineering

Owner

West Des Moines Community Schools

Contractor

Core Construction

Engineer

Shive-Hattery Architecture Engineering

Precast Concrete Producer

Wells

Key Project Attributes

  • The building creates a space that supports the goals of the school as well as embodies the values of serving the community.
  • Design flexibility is crucial in career and technical education (CTE) construction to adapt to the ever-changing needs of students, programs, and technologies. The laboratory spaces accommodate new equipment, furniture, and software without renovation.
  • The main entrance to the school was also renovated, which helped modernize and brighten the façade.

Project/Precast Scope

  • Both shadow and relief were incorporated into the charcoal-gray prefabricated wall panels. The precast concrete panels decrease in size as they run along the front of the building.
  • The custom revealed panels extend southward beyond the building to create a screen wall that protects students as well as neighbors from noise.
  • The precast concrete panels provide shadow and crisp relief with sufficient concrete cover in contrast to adjacent pieces that were recessed 1 inch. The panels have an average R-value of 16