33,395 Bricks Later

Terraset's renovation is progressing at full steam. Since the children have been safely out of the building, the construction crew has had full access for the summer! The playground may have been closed for summer, but what amazing things have happened all around it!

Terraset's original open plan

Designed by McLean based architects, DCS Design, Terraset was conceived with an open plan layout and implemented as an energy conserving building. The resulting design, with two to three feet of earth cover over and around the building, was said to provide energy savings of 70 percent when compared to the average operating costs of other Fairfax County Schools at the time.

The school won the Owens-Corning Energy Award, Institutional category for 1975, and the 1975 Walter Taylor Award from the American Institute of Architects and the American Association of School Administrators, for best educational environment.

Terraset opened in 1977 and has featured in several architectural and environmental reports. However, after 37 years of housing the education of hundreds of students each year, with little in the way of any physical updates, it was time for an overhaul. The Terraset community felt strongly that the unique character of our "set in the Earth" school should be retained. At the same time our educators were eagerly hoping for simple things like "a door" for each classroom.

33,395 blocks, 3,462 tons of stone, and
1,070 man hours

The plan to renovate Terraset was announced late in 2010, with the actual renovation starting in January 2014. Already we have seen massive changes. Half a hill has been removed from the east corner of the school; the south-east side of the school interior has been gutted; and of course we have "Tiger Town" on the new black-top at the back of the school. And the action has stepped up quite a bit this summer. The front parking lot and Kiss and Ride have been totally redesigned and repaved using  33,395 bricks, the foundations for the new Library, Art and Music wing have been laid, the stairs leading down to the courtyard have been demolished and a temporary stair case has been created for access to the roof from the NW side of the school (near door 9). If you have driven past Terraset in the past ten weeks you have probably wondered how it could be possible that our children will be going to school at that site!

Courtyard staircase has gone!

But go to school they will, and they will start to enjoy some of the benefits immediately. Initially, work on the gym was planned for summer 2015, but it has already started. The gym has a new floor, walls, basketball equipment, curtain, lines, and office. However, library space has been reduced so that the new rooms in the area under renovation (south east side) can be completed. It is expected that this first phase of the renovation will be finished in early 2015. At the same time, our new Media Center (library) will be opened.

Removal of footbridge 

It was rumored that a local farmer had bought the foot-bridge that provided access to the school roof from Kiss & Ride. Apparently, it was not viable to remove and reuse the bridge in one piece as originally hoped. However, it looked pretty complete when the cranes lifted it out in early July!

The new layout will include over 30 classrooms, with purpose built art rooms and music theaters. We can look forward to a brand new Media Center and a renovated gym. Natural light will be enhanced within the school via windows around the perimeter and an atrium like "cube" at the center can function as an outdoor classroom. All the classrooms will be equipped with up-to-date technologies including integrated audio, WiFi and high-speed Ethernet.

The next twelve months or so will not be easy, but the results promise to be outstanding!