Ida B. Wells High School Modernization

The Ida B. Wells High School Modernization project is a full replacement of the existing 1957 high school in southwest Portland. Upon completion in Fall 2029 (with site work finishing in Fall 2030), it will be one of three new high schools in the district utilizing mass timber. The new 295,000-square-foot school is designed to serve 1,700 students and features a highly visible mass timber structural system incorporating Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), glulam gravity framing, and Buckling-Restrained Braces (BRBs) for lateral resistance.

Set within a park-like campus, the school's use of mass timber is a natural fit for both its surroundings and Portland Public Schools' sustainability goals. Mass timber reduces embodied carbon while creating a warm, biophilic learning environment. Exposed timber elements throughout classrooms, commons, and gathering spaces are intended to support student wellness, enhance the occupant experience, and celebrate Oregon's forest products industry. The project is poised to become a landmark example of mass timber in public K-12 education.