Oak Hill School: Classroom Addition Structural Engineering in Eugene, Oregon

Location: Oak Hill School, near Lane Community College, Eugene, Oregon
Client/Owner: Oak Hill School
Partners: Rodd Hansen, Architect; 2G Construction (both local firms)
Year: 2013
Size/scale: 5,259 sq ft wood-framed addition, the Hub classroom building: a Hub room, a science classroom with prep and chemical storage, a multi-purpose classroom, a classroom, a conference room and offices
JBE services: Structural design, civil site design (grading, utilities, stormwater, ADA parking), structural observation during construction
Sector: Public, Civic & Education

Oak Hill School structural engineering project, Eugene, Oregon — photo 2

The challenge

Oak Hill School wanted a new building on the west side of its campus — the Hub — to give students a bright new place to learn and gather. The design called for a tall high-roof section and a large window wall to bring in natural light, which leaves less solid wall to resist wind and earthquake loads.

The schedule was the other challenge. We were brought in at the end of May 2013, the permit set went in at the end of June, and the building had to be framed and finished over the summer.

Project photos

What we did

We worked with Rodd Hansen, Architect, and 2G Construction, both local firms, to design a wood-framed building with plenty of natural light. The structure uses prefabricated wood roof trusses, a high roof framed with decking, 2×6 wood shear walls, and wind columns at the window wall. A covered area outside is carried on posts and beams.

We also did the civil design for the new building and site: the site and utility plans, grading for the building and the adjacent field, ADA parking, and stormwater. Through construction we reviewed the truss and steel shop drawings and made structural observations on site, sorting out field issues such as hold-down repairs as the framing went up.

The result

The Hub was finished in October 2013, after a final structural walk-through confirmed the building matched the design. The wood-framed building brings natural light into a new space for students to learn and gather, designed by a team of local firms. We’ve gone on to work with Oak Hill School on many of its later buildings, from an art center and gym to performing arts classrooms — a good example of the long-term school structural engineering relationships we value in Eugene, Oregon.