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ArchDC Spring 2017.qxp_Spring 2017 2/22/17 2:55 PM Page 64

Gymnasium.
to be added to comply with life safety codes, which are
more stringent for educational uses than for offices. The
exterior windows already had tinted glass vision panels
plus a sun shelf and clear transom panels. This unusual
configuration, as it turns out, is excellent for a classroom:
the sun shelves bounce daylight onto the ceiling deep
into the space, while the tinting softens views outward.
The conversion’s biggest intervention was the
removal of escalators at the central atrium, replaced by
the grand stair that connects the main entrance (at the
middle level) with the atrium floor (at the lower level).
This kind of stair, with some areas having larger risers for
hanging out or viewing a presentation, has become fairly
common in schools and offices nowadays. (See the
accompanying article on Achievement Prep Academy, a
DC school that serves a very different population but has
a similar stair.) But that strips no power from it; at BASIS
as elsewhere, it is a magnet for people, and creates a
strong sense of place.
The concrete joist structure of the ceilings was
revealed and painted white, with mechanical, electrical,
and plumbing lines running exposed below. Most light
fixtures are suspended from the ceiling and are both
direct and indirect—that is, some of the light shines
downward, and some shines upward. This provides a
sense of generous ceiling height and ensures the fairly
bright yet soft light required for computer screens and
Atrium.
other modern devices. Sean Aiken, head of the school,
believes that these exposed systems are also educational.
He wrote in his blog, “Imagine our youngest learners
looking out the window as the cherry trees bloom, then
suddenly noticing the exposed ductwork on the ceiling.
How does water move through a tree, or a classroom, they
suddenly wonder. And do trees breathe air like we do?”
Ultimately, noted architect Donnelly, “The building
fades into the background, with the students on the
stage, in the foreground.” This modest sentiment might
be difficult to square with the stereotype of the egocentric
architect, but it completely plays out at BASIS McLean.
The grand stair is a prominent architectural feature, of
course, and occasionally a light fixture or funky piece
of furniture grabs one’s attention. But in general, the
architecture and interiors are calm, neutral backgrounds
that allow focus on whatever subject is at hand, from
conjugation of Latin verbs to science lab experiments.

64 THE BUSINESS OF ACADEMICS
Typical classroom.