Chief Leschi School

Owner: Puyallup Tribe of Indians
Scope: 198,000 SF
Notable: Serves students from 57 collective tribes

Inspired by the harmony and balance of the sacred circle, the design expresses tribal values and the importance of cultural exchange. Building forms radiate from the heart of the site to incorporate the sea, the valley and the mountain into a unified whole. Circulation patterns and structural systems suggest a skeletal framework and organic forms that are based on the tribe’s ways and beliefs. Through the interplay of solid and void in the architecture and landscape design, universal themes come to life. The temporal and physical flow of seasons, generations and traditions are celebrated here as in Native American art and literature.