Challenging Topography Creates Magnificent Views

Hussey Gay Bell provided architectural and engineering design for a new, 180,000 square foot Middle School facility with a core capacity of 1,000 students and an initial classroom capacity of 800 students. The school was designed around a Main Street concept with Administration being centrally located on the first floor with the Media center located on the second floor directly above. The large two-story open Student Commons and Food Court is located in the center of the building directly across Main Street from the Administration Suite.  Individual classroom clusters are provided for the 6th, 7th and 8th grades.

The construction consisted of a two-story structure utilizing a combination of steel frame and load-bearing masonry construction.  The use of clerestory, borrowed and sky-lighting along with exterior sunshades and interior light shelves controls natural light while allowing it into interior educational spaces.

Exterior materials include brick and cast stone with large areas of glass curtain wall.  Interior materials include terrazzo and carpet flooring, decorative wood wall paneling in selected areas and the extensive use of acoustical materials including wall panels, multilevel ceiling panels and fabric clouds.  The primary mechanical system consists of air-cooled chillers serving air handlers.  Air temperature is tempered by local variable-air-volume units.

The school is planned for a future cluster which will house the World Language Curriculum. The classrooms in each cluster are designed around a two-story day-lit Collaborative Space with large window walls / doors opening into the collaborative space from each classroom. The school includes a Gymnasium, as well as an Auditorium and associated Band, Chorus, Orchestra, Drama and Fine Arts spaces.  The school achieved LEED certification in 2017.