EDUCATIONAL
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TREATY Total Immersion School
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Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South DakotaFor the late American Indian Activist and AIM co-founder Russell Means' TREATY Enterprises, we designed this 108,000 square foot facility to incorporate sustainable technologies and green building systems. utilizing rammed earth construction, greywater systems, solar heating and natural ventilation. The structure also has very strong cultural significance, which was inspired by the buffalo as a sacred being to the Lakota Sioux people. Project components include administrative offices, food service and commercial kitchen facilities with culinary arts facilities, an equestrian arts facility, vocational classrooms with wood and metal shops, an environmental design academy focused on recycling of found objects, geothermal heating, wind energy as well as solar energy and earth-integrated technologies, a tropical greenhouse in a natural setting for cultivation of edibles along with tilapia farming, math and science classrooms, athletic facilities with swimming pool and gymnasium, performing arts facilities, and art gallery for student work a library. Our tipi prototype will house faculty and staff. The circular arrangement of the project components represents the Path of Life as interpreted in the Lakota culture. The tensile roof structure represents the shoulder of the buffalo from which all life comes to the Lakota, while the ceremonial platform atop the roof represents the sacred eagle perched on the buffalo shoulder, representing the connection between spirituality and all life.
At right is the greenhouse and fish farming wing. Behind the rib elements is the aquatic center, with an Events Deck above.
The building becomes very dynamic at night, with the tensile roof glowing and visible for miles. The high-bay Library is at right, with the Entrance Portico at left. The Ceremonial Platform rises above the Multi-Purpose Center, with banners signifying gifts from God - the Great Mystery.



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King Chavez Middle School
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San Diego, CaliforniaThis 18,600 square foot facility was designed for a private developer in 2006. The school serves neighborhood children in grades 6 through 8 who currently attend King Chavez Academy three blocks away. It is operated by the King Chavez Academies, a non-profit organization which operates six other schools in low-income neighborhoods. This organization has been highly successful in raising students’ test scores and empowering its students. With 18 classrooms, the school serves 360 disadvantaged children in a very low-income neighborhood. The charter school operates under contract with San Diego Unified School District, and was completed in October 2008.

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Academica Middle School
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San Diego, CaliforniaThis 24,000 square foot facility was designed for a private developer, and will be operated by the Academica Corporation of Florida. With 16 classrooms, the school will serve 384 disadvantaged children in a very low-income neighborhood. The charter school will operate under contract with San Diego Unified School District, and will be completed in August 2010.

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King Chavez High School
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San Diego, CaliforniaThis 42,000 square-foot, four-story project involved conversion of an existing convalescent hospital into a K-12 charter school. LEED Silver certification is largely based upon our reuse of the existing structure. We are adding solar panels on the roof, replacing single-pane windows with double-pane windows containing low-emissivity glass, replacing inefficient HVAC and lighting systems with high-efficiency equipment and systems, and increasing window size for increased daylighting. With 28 classrooms, the school serves 900 students disadvantaged children in a very low-income neighborhood. The building has changed ownership and is now the home of Albert Einstein Academy.

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Eastern County Preparatory Academy
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Lakeside, CaliforniaThis 13-acre 6-12 charter school is involved a partnership with County of San Diego, which dedicated $300K toward development of the soccer fields as a joint-use recreational element. Phase I includes the soccer fields and a two-story, 20-classroom module, which will temporarily house administrative offices in two of the classroom spaces. Phase II includes build-out of a second classroom module, along with development of the baseball diamonds. In Phase III, the “cafegymatorium” will be built along with the football field. The main campus building will house an auditorium with stage which also serves as a cafeteria and gymnasium. The structure will also house all administrative functions, including offices, counseling rooms and nurse’s office.

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Casa Ramona Academy of Technology
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SanBernardino,CaliforniaThis 38,000 square-foot, two story charter school addition will serve 700 students. Anticipated LEED Silver certification is based upon our reuse of a 4,600 square-foot single-story structure having sentimental historical value to neighborhood residents, and on our preservation of existing landscaping and parking areas. Plans include a photovoltaic array on the roof, replacing single-pane windows with double-pane containing low-emissivity glass, replacing inefficient HVAC and lighting systems with high-efficiency equipment and systems, and increasing window size for increased daylighting.

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Mission Beach Center
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San Diego, CaliforniaThis 20,000 square foot facility was converted from a kindergarten into the headquarters for San Diego Unified School District’s Creative and Performing Arts Department. The existing auditorium is a combination of perimeter offices and open floor area, with the existing stage being utilized for workshop performances. The existing kitchen was redesigned into a painting studio and lab, while the existing classroom serves as a writing studio.

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Crawford High School Bleachers
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San Diego, CaliforniaInitially charged with designing a new 800-seat grandstand for this existing school site, Randal Ehm discovered a relocatable set of bleachers in Elk Grove School District that had already been approved by Division of the State Architect (DSA). The fast-tracked project was approved by DSA for relocation within two weeks, it was installed in six weeks and received a Certificate of Occupancy on the day of the first home game. The deal Randal struck ultimately saved San Diego Unified School District over $35,000 and saved the school about three months in permitting and construction time

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CHAMPS Charter School
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Van Nuys, California\

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Crawford High School Alumni Appreciation Court
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San Diego, CaliforniaEhm Architecture was hired for a paid design competition to design an amphitheater and lunch court shelter for this high school campus in 1999. The 16,000 square foot structure features and alumni appreciation court, where alums who contribute to the building fund can have ceramic tiles bearing their names featured in the design of the amphitheater steps.

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Health Sciences High & Middle College
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San Diego, CaliforniaWe designed a tenant improvement for this 40,000 square foot. The educational facility, on a 2.5-acre campus in Mission Valley, in 2009. The former National University building will serve over 1,000 students as the largest life sciences charter school in Southern California.

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Clairemont High School Reroofing Project
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San Diego,CaliforniaEhm Architecture served as Architect for this 17-building, 120,000 square foot campus in 2001.

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King Chavez Primary Academy
+In our third project for King Chavez Academies, we were engaged to add two classrooms for art instruction. Services included ADA Compliance certification, Division of the State Architect approval and coordination with San Diego City Schools staff.

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Birney Elementary School Sportsfield
San Diego, California
+Ehm Architecture designed this perimeter fence, wall and decorative entry gates for San Diego Unified School District in 2009.
SDUSD engaged us in 2000 to design this perimeter fence. The historic character of the surrounding community was preserved by incorporating stone columns and wrought iron gates.

