Trillium Creek Primary School

When the West Linn, Oregon, community began envisioning Trillium Creek Primary School, proposed ideas included a zip line running through the building, a river of chocolate flowing into the school and a two-story slide to whisk students from the second floor down to the first.

That’s because Trillium Creek’s entire planning process was a highly collaborative effort including not just architects, designers, teachers and administrators but also staff, students and community members.

Thousands of suggestions were submitted; many, including the slide, became an integral part of the facility. The award-winning design has successfully integrated community-inspired innovations, multiple sustainability components, educational alternatives and striking aesthetics to provide a markedly different learning environment for children.

Built to accommodate 500 primary school students, Trillium Creek features porches, outdoor learning areas and roof spaces for gardens. Brightly colored oriels capture both the interior color splashes and natural views of the forests outside. Incorporating building materials with high recycled content helped reduce the environmental footprint, while energy-efficient elements and alternative energy sources were strategically built into the long-term design.

Finding visually appealing, sustainable flooring that would exceed the long-term demands placed on an education environment was a significant challenge. To meet that challenge, the school selected a unique alternative to standard carpet and hard surface flooring options: Tarkett’s Powerbond^®.

Powerbond, a hybrid resilient sheet flooring, offers endless design capabilities and is durable enough to withstand the impact of thousands of active feet. The distinctive closed-cell cushion construction allows for easy inlays that are seam-welded to create a much-needed moisture barrier; these circular inlays of green, yellow and orange help anchor strategic elements throughout the school. Using Antron^® Lumena™ fiber increases the floor’s resistance to soil entrapment and its ability to mask soiling, enhancing both long-term appearance and overall wear. With its 100% recyclability and contribution to better indoor air quality, Powerbond also supports the school’s sustainability initiatives.

For over five decades, Powerbond’s unique qualities have provided education environments with enhanced acoustics, comfort underfoot and added durability. At Trillium Creek, Powerbond’s unmatched design capabilities and many practical advantages are proving invaluable as well: students and faculty alike are excited about learning, teaching and interacting in a remarkable setting which they helped create.