Introducing a forward-looking campus for an under-served rural community
Who gets the most use out of a middle school, adults or students? The obvious answer being students, that raises an interesting question—why are schools often designed by adults and for the convenience of adults?
Frederick County Public Schools wanted to introduce a forward-looking campus for their under-served rural community. But they wanted to step outside the convention of double-loaded corridors lined with four-walled classrooms. To be a community space built to serve its real tenants—the students.
The new prototype that we developed sports a rich palette of warm brick, cultured stone, and natural wood. Inviting, not institutional. The benches and tables are moveable, designed on the principle that the students should be able to adapt their environment. The floor-to-ceiling glass walls partition the classrooms without interrupting sightlines—a choice that fosters community and collaboration. And they double as writing surfaces.
To serve the larger community, there’s an astronomy lab, a track, competition play fields, trails, and a competition gym with fitness loft.
Adaptability and student-focused design have made this middle school a beacon for Frederick County. It’s the sort of place where a student can look at any part of the building and say “this was designed for me.”
At a Glance
- Offices
Bill Bradley, Principal, Practice Leader
What excites me most is discovering opportunities that lie at the intersection of education and architectural design. Possibilities abound!
Tracy Eich, Senior Principal, Texas Design Leader
Architecture at its core is problem solving—but at its essence, it’s also a form of behavioral science, and the quality of the spaces we create affects the human spirit.
Matthew Kavanaugh, Associate, Senior Project Architect
I enjoy designing high performing green schools, where each project can improve the learning environments of children and their communities.
Katharine Land, Senior Interior Designer
I believe that we can improve the daily experience of end users by providing unexpected yet inspiring spaces.
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