2013 NCSBA
Award for Excellence in Architectural Design Competition
2013 NCSBA
Award for Excellence in Architectural Design Competition 1. Career Center................................................Walter Robbs Callahan & Pierce Architects 2. Cramer High School.....................................MBAJ Architecture 3. John W. Jones Elementary School.............Skinner Lamm & Highsmith Architects 4. Lacy Elementary School..............................Skinner Lamm & Highsmith Architects 5. Lucas Middle School....................................DTW Architects and Planners 6. Northside Elementary School....................Moseley Architects 7. Person County Learning Academy...........Smith Sinnett Architecture 8. Pollard Middle School.................................SfL+a Architects 9. Rocky Mount High School..........................SfL+a Architects 10. Rolesville High School.................................RATIO Architects 11. Rolesville Middle School.............................Skinner Lamm & Highsmith Architects 12. Sandy Ridge Elementary School...............DTW Architects and Planners 13. Sandy Grove Middle School.......................SfL+a Architects 14. Snipes Academy...........................................SfL+a Architects 15. About the Competition
Career Center Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY The Career Center, a new approach for Advanced Placement and Career-Technical Education, draws students from Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools’ 14 traditional high schools to take Advanced Placement and career-andtechnical education courses. As one goal is to mix students from different schools and different academic backgrounds
to create one educational community, the design features a two-level, circular, central gathering space to facilitate dialogue between students from across the County.
Winston-Salem/ Forsyth County High Schools Career Center
MULTI-FUNCTIONALITY The school’s central gathering space also serves as a location for community meetings and social functions. In the culinary arts classroom, students learn professional culinary skills throughout the school day, and it is used by the community outside of school hours. The career-and-technical education classrooms provide a value for the district. By offering Career Center classes to students from across Forsyth County in one central location, these expensive classroom setups do not have to be replicated at each high school.
LEARNING AMBIENCE Students enjoy the natural light provided by floor-to-ceiling windows throughout all learning spaces and common areas of the building. Fresh air is delivered to each space throughout the building using energy recovery equipment. The fresh air is conditioned before it enters the building which maintains comfortable temperatures and produces high levels of indoor air quality. Technology is part of every classroom, with tools such as interactive boards, sound amplification and document cameras. Solar panels on the roof of the Career Center are used as a teaching tool in the alternative energies classroom, where students monitor power production and consumption. The building design offers students view corridors that provide insights into history. Teachers can point to nearby sites such as Goler AME Church, where Martin Luther King Jr. once spoke, when teaching the history of civil rights, or RJ Reynolds tobacco factories as a reference to our North Carolina heritage.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN The Career Center features a rooftop garden, which reduces the heat absorption of the building and reduces storm water runoff. Energy efficiency is gained through the use of exterior sun shade elements. The Career Center was built on the seventeen acre site of the existing Kennedy School. Designers were able to further maximize the use of this urban site by locating a third school there as well - the new Carter High School for special needs students. Although the Kennedy Campus’ three high schools have differing programs and goals, the students share certain on-site amenities such as a central auditorium. This shared use of resources provides a reduction in built material and minimizes the overall environmental impact.
SUBTLE SECURITY The school’s placement on the site, and the internal location of building entrances, provide a secure campus environment for students while maintaining the school’s connection to the greater community. Student common spaces, such as the media center, were placed on the second level of the school. Designers enhanced security in a significant but subtle way by elevating the media center’s position while maintaining a visual connection to its surroundings with floor-to-ceiling windows.
CIVIC PRESENCE The central location and high visibility of the Career Center make it easily accessible to the entire community. As the Career Center was built on the same site as the Kennedy School, a community landmark, designers sought to build on the value that existed there. The successful build-out of the Kennedy Campus has made an existing icon an even more significant element of the community, and its modern facilities show a commitment to the importance of education.
John W. Jones Elementary School Wilson, NC
Our master plan for this site accommodates the new John W. Jones Elementary School and a future build of the Springfield Middle School prototype. The simple plan was developed to accommodate 800 K-5 students in two distinct buildings. Future classroom space can be added to provide a capacity of 1000 students. The two classroom buildings connect to a central core building that includes the administration, media, cafeteria and multipurpose room. The site is arranged to allow separate entry and discharge points to each of the classroom buildings making for easy access and short travel distances for the students. Auto and bus traffic are completely separated on the site. Areas between the buildings were developed as sheltered play areas for the K-2 students with direct access from their classrooms.
SKINNER LAMM & HIGHSMITH
John W. Jones Elementary School
CAFETERIA
Wilson, NC
ADMIN
MULTIPURPOSE
MEDIA
CORE
3RD THRU 5TH GRADES
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K THRU 2ND GRADES
Learning Ambience: Bright colors and patterns provide a cheerful atmosphere to inspire staff and students. Sunlight floods into connecting corridors providing exterior views, orienting students to their location within the building. Display areas are located in the hallways outside each classroom door, as well as the school lobby. High performance ceiling tile in classrooms and acoustical panels in hallways, cafeteria and the multi-purpose room provide excellent sound control, allowing students to learn without noise distractions. The use of an energy efficient HVAC systems keeps steady temperatures and air quality, resulting in pleasant comfort levels throughout the school. Each classroom is equipped with projectors and screens and a designated computer room is utilized by all grade levels. Educational Community: Students and staff are able to utilize the media center and multi-purpose room as collaboration areas, due to the flexibility of furniture and equipment configuration. Teacher collaboration is facilitated through centrally located workrooms. Multi-Functionality: The Multi-Purpose Room serves as a place for indoor play and recreation, performances, presentations, school assemblies and community functions. Convenient entry access directly into the room provides excellent community meeting space. Nearby storage space houses recreation equipment, chairs and tables as needed for various uses. A recessed motorized projection screen is available at the stage. All core areas were specifically designed to easily accommodate future growth. Sustainable Design: Classrooms take advantage of large windows for day lighting while a clear and simple plan with mostly double loaded corridors make for a very efficient building layout. Finish materials such as local brick, aluminum windows, and sloped metal roofing (with high recycled content) are both sustainable and durable so that they reduce future maintenance. Civic Presence: Upon entering the school, the monumental covered entrance provides a welcoming presence to all visitors. Stepping inside the lobby, student artwork and projects are proudly displayed. Visitors are greeted by high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows leading to the classroom areas which provide natural daylight and views outside. The use of bright walls and innovative floor patterns as way-finding tools assist young students to feel comfortable in their environment. Subtle Security: Visitors enter through the office so they can be checked-in and registered. Hallways have excellent visibility and monitoring is easy from one central location. SKINNER LAMM & HIGHSMITH
Lacy Elementary School Raleigh, NC
Originally constructed in the early 1950s, Frances Lacy Elementary School experienced the addition of several separate, disconnected buildings over the following decades. The facility had reached a point where no further expansion could be reasonably accommodated without reevaluating the entire campus plan. In order to tie the campus together, improve security, provide full accessibility, and bring all systems up to date, most of the existing separate buildings were replaced with one modern, energy efficient structure. During a carefully phased process, students continue to occupy the present campus while a new 2-story building housing approximately 75% of future structure nears completion. The one remaining building now has a direct enclosed connection to the new. Vehicular traffic to and within the site has been completely reorganized in order to provide improved circulation and allow adequate drop off and stacking space.
SKINNER LAMM & HIGHSMITH
Lacy Elementary School Raleigh, NC
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Learning Ambience: Students, staff and visitors enter the doors to find brightly colored floor patterns and wall colors, providing a happy and welcoming environment. The clerestory windows in the 26- foot entry fill the space with sunlight. The coordinated floor patterns and wall colors act as wayfinding tools for students and visitors. Every classroom provides space for display of artwork and projects. Ceiling to floor windows with light shelves flood classrooms with natural daylight, which studies show improve test scores and attendance. High performance ceiling tile in classrooms and acoustical panels in hallways, cafeteria and the multi-purpose room provide excellent sound control. The use of an energy efficient HVAC system keeps steady temperatures and air quality, resulting in pleasant comfort levels throughout the school. Each classroom utilizes its own projector and computer. Educational Community: Several designated work areas and a lounge provide teacher’s with collaboration space. Teachers, students and members of the community also utilize the media center, multi-purpose room, and front lobby seating area. Multi-Functionality: The multi-purpose room serves as a place for indoor play and recreation, performances, presentations, school assemblies and community functions. A movable partition between the multipurpose room and the cafeteria provides flexibility for various uses, adding an additional 3,500 square feet of space if needed. Storage for seating and physical education equipment is provided in a designated adjacent room. Sustainable Design: Classrooms take advantage of large windows for daylighting. Finish materials such as local brick, aluminum windows, and sloped metal roofing (with high recycled content) are both sustainable and durable reducing future maintenance. Civic Presence: Lacy Elementary School is strongly supported by the surrounding community. Visitors are warmly welcomed through the use of color, floor patterns, and natural daylighting provided by clerestory windows. Student artwork compliments the lobby space, allowing visitors, faculty and staff to share in the accomplishments of students. Subtle security: The existing campus was a group of separate buildings, each with its own entrances & exits. One key advantage to the new building is to have the entire campus in one connected, secure building. SKINNER LAMM & HIGHSMITH
Lucas Middle School
Durham Public Schools
DTW Architects & Planners Ltd. Learning Ambience Some studies have indicated that light-filled schools improve learning as evidenced by increased test scores. The main theories for why this is so suggest that daylight supports learning by increasing the mood and health of a building’s occupants. At Lucas, 90 percent of academic spaces have daylighting; and there is also abundant natural light in the cafeteria, gymnasium and Cybrary. The Cybrary is one of many locations for accessing technology - there are also wired and wireless connections in all classrooms and other meeting areas, and an Energy Dashboard, a building performance monitoring system, located in the main lobby. This facility has earned a LEED Gold rating, and its Energy Dashboard provides a learning opportunity for students and staff to view and understand how much energy and water is used in the building.
Lucas Middle School Snow Hill Road Durham, NC Project Design Team:
Completion Date: May 2012
DTW Architects & Planners, Ltd. GKC Associates / Structural Engineers Edmondson Engineers / Plumbing, HVAC & Electrical Coulter Jewell Thames Associates / Civil & Landscaping Colorlume / Daylighting and Lighting Consultant Acoustical Insight / Acoustical Consultant Owner Contact: Mr. Hugh Osteen Durham Public Schools Phone: 919.560.3831 Hugh.Osteen@dpsnc.net
Mr. Tim Carr Durham Public Schools Phone: 919.560.2216 Tim.Carr@dpsnc.net
Educational Community An important aspect of modern learning environments is interactive and collaborative learning. Especially in the middle school setting, it is important to provide students opportunities to participate with teachers and other students in shared learning. Many such venues exist in Lucas Middle School: Team Project Rooms, a greenhouse for use in biotechnology, lounge areas in lobbies, soft seating in the Cybrary. The project rooms and Team Common areas provide break-out spaces from adjacent classrooms, while affording teachers the ability to observe interactions.
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Lucas Middle School
Durham Public Schools
DTW Architects & Planners Ltd. Multi-Functionality Multi-functionality of spaces allows the school system to maximize the use of its facility: this is true both for spaces that can be used throughout the school day for different purposes, as well as for spaces that can be used by both school and community groups. The Team Project Rooms provide spaces that are shared by several classrooms during the course of the day. The main lobby contains risers, useful for small performances, as well as a place to relax or study. Athletic facilities, auditorium/stage and Cybrary are each located such that they can be separated from the rest of the facility for use by the public after school hours.
Sustainable Design From its earliest sketches, Lucas Middle School was designed to realize sustainability goals. Attaining a Gold LEED certification attests to its achievement in minimizing the impact on the ecosystem, providing healthy and energy efficient environments, and minimizing long-term maintenance costs. Specifically, Lucas Middle School incorporates solar hot water in the kitchen and locker rooms; a large percentage of regional and recyclable materials; reflective roofs and efficient heating, cooling and lighting systems; and water-saving plumbing fixtures that provide 50% savings in consumption.
Civic Presence This facility is accessed from two sides: the parent drop-off entry is a soaring two-story space that inspires all those who enter. The bus drop-off places students in a light-filled and friendly lobby. Both provide a sense of joy in the learning environment. A separate entrance to the auditorium allows its use by the public in an area of the county where such facilities are limited and is certain to become an important community hub.
Subtle Security An important security measure is a campus-wide attitude that deters threats: while cameras and keyless doors are a part of a school’s security arsenal, the understanding by staff and students that the school facility is valued and its inhabitants are aware will go a long way in deterring security threats. Lucas is designed for ease in supervision with transparency between spaces and the ability of administrators to close off sections of the building easily
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NORTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY Designed to support 585 students, Northside Elementary School features classrooms, a media center, a multipurpose room, support spaces, as well as dining and kitchen areas. The school functions as a teaching tool with educational displays, including an interactive building dashboard located in the media center. Through the dashboard water and power usage can be tracked and accessed by teachers to integrate into their teaching curriculum. SUSTAINABLE DESIGN The design integrates the school district’s “Policy 9040” for high performance design criteria with certification through the US Green Building Council’s LEED® Green Building Rating System. The school’s east-west building orientation with carefully designed windows, tubular skylights, and light shelves maximize daylight in classrooms and reduce energy spent for lighting. A comprehensive stormwater management plan reduces runoff through features such as a 60,000 gallon rainwater cistern, pervious concrete, and porous playground surfaces while the school’s vegetated roof areas further manage stormwater through plant absorption and also provide a unique learning environment for science classes. LEARNING AMBIENCE The color palette of neutral colors and muted tones contribute to a timeless environment. The large windows in the classrooms pro-
NORTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
vide natural light for the students and teachers. A large corridor display case chronicles the school’s storied history. CIVIC PRESENCE Located on a previously developed site with nearby public transit, this 100,000-square-foot school is the heart of the neighborhood and serves as a place for community events. While construction details such as skylights, solar heating and a green roof link the school to the future, the design celebrates the site’s history of education by including a historical timeline component to the main staircase. In 1924, the cornerstone of the all-African-American Orange County Training School was laid at 350 Caldwell Street, the site that is now home to the new Northside Elementary. The training school became Lincoln High School in 1948 and Northside Elementary in 1951, when a new Lincoln structure was built. The only elementary school in town for African-American children, Northside closed shortly after mandatory integration of the district began in 1966. The building was then used mainly as office space until it was razed to make way for the new school. SUBTLE SECURITY Upon entering the school, visitors are directed into the administrative suite by a set of vestibule security doors. This allows the administration to supervise who is entering the building at all times. All the exterior doors are also controlled by a fob system.
PERSON COUNTY LEARNING ACADEMY
Learning Ambience Vibrant green and blue accents are mixed with warm browns to create a soothing, yet stimulating learning environment. The combination of abundant day lighting, accent paint walls in every room and attractive colorful vinyl and carpet tiles bring the spaces to life. Tack boards, marker boards and interactive boards are in every classroom.
Grand Opening Dedication with the VFW
Educational Community The wide hallways offer opportunities for interaction between students and faculty. Additionally, the itinerant office space adjacent to the main entrance gives students a semi-private space to meet with visiting counselors for individual specialized instruction or remediation. The Multipurpose Room, Professional Development Room, Media Center and Conference Room are all of different scaled spaces to support a multitude of group instruction, meetings and physical activities. Multi-Functionality The transformation of various spaces for alternative uses is a constant need for this particular student population. Several spaces within the facility are consistently used as multi-purpose spaces. The Professional Development Center is intended for county wide teacher training and may also be used as a classroom or or a meeting facility. Additionally, a large double classroom space is used for instruction, cafeteria service, study halls and community meetings. As all the technological infrastructure is already in place, the Multi-purpose Room, Professional Development Room and Media Center have the built-in capability of being easily converted into classrooms should the need arise.
Main Entrance
Reception
Sustainable Design This facility is perhaps the ultimate sustainable structure as it involved the repurposing of an existing building. In April 2009, the Lewell T. Huff VFW Post #2058 made a very generous gift of their building to Person County Schools. Within the confines of a very restrained budget, PCS set out to take this existing metal building and outfit it to meet or exceed current building and energy codes. Much of the building’s facade was saved and enhanced with new brick and split face finishes matching the adjacent bus garage. While the Person County Learning Academy grew out of an old, relatively worn out metal building, the upgraded facility looks in keeping with the new bus garage, blending well within the context of the campus. The building is characterized by extra insulation, energy efficient lighting, low emissivity glazing and high impact sheetrock. Civic Presence The design of this renovated facility is as energy efficient as practical and creates an inspiring improvement from the old Learning Academy. This student population is intended to be temporary, here only long enough to acquire the skills needed to return to the high school. These children are important to Person County Schools and therefore the best and brightest possible space for learning was created. This program is designed to emphasize the value of education to the individual students. By giving the students an inspiring facility, they can better understand the value the community places on education and therefore, themselves. Subtle Security The space is outfitted with cameras which can be viewed from any teacher station, security at all doors with swipe cards and good lighting and visual access down hallways and into classrooms from the hallway. The concept of CPTED Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design was employed to improve the overall security of the facility without additional and obvious security measures. This creates a safer feeling campus without employing prison-like measures to improve safety.
Existing VFW Building
New Side Entrance
Existing VFW Interior
New Multi-purpose Room
Floor Plan
Chatham County Schools
Margaret B. Pollard Middle School
Chapel Hill, N.C. 117,216 sf 650 students LEED Gold
High performance educational facility and the 1st LEED Gold Middle School in North Carolina
LEARNING AMBIANCE A variety of teaching environments throughout the school include formal classrooms, interactive science labs, informal breakout spaces and small group planning and instructional rooms. Each environment offers unique characteristics designed to emphasize interaction and maximize learning potential, all driven by a day-lighting scheme designed to maximize the use of natural day-lighting, animate instructional spaces and reduce energy demand. Interior colors complement and reflect the use of natural light in classrooms; circulation paths feature graphic terrazzo floor patterns that enhance way-finding; and school colors and graphics accent the main and auxiliary gyms to reinforce identity and student ownership. Innovative and sustainable features of the project are central to the daily experience of school occupants and members of the community. The ground-source geothermal mechanical and solar hot water heating systems are exhibited to students in lessons. High-efficiency, auto-dimming light fixtures remind students of ways to reduce energy use. Interior construction materials and finishes selected centered on recycled content and low volatile organic compounds to reduce resource use and contribute to positive indoor air quality. Each classroom is equipped with smart boards, projectors and wireless internet capability. Computer labs feature laptops, desktops and the interactive media center has additional smart boards, projectors and computer stations for student use.
EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY The variation of learning spaces encourages faculty/ student interaction in formal and informal environments as well as peer-to-peer mentoring. The creation of the school focused on building a facility that would be an example of sustainability and environmental stewardship to its’ students and community, while serving as a teaching tool and public resource for meetings, athletic programs and afterhours use.
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN: MULTI-FUNCTIONALITY Margaret B. Pollard Middle School, Chatham County Schools The core spaces adapt for maximum flexibility, allowing for a variety of configurations for instructional use as well as for community functions. Flexible seating in the gymnasiums, band and choral rooms accommodate groups of various sizes. Large instruction spaces separate by movable partitions for small instruction use.
SUBTLE SECURITY The facility features a single-point of entry through the main admissions office. Electronic locks with sensors for all exterior doors are monitored from a central location. Primary circulation spaces maximize sightlines and eliminate areas of refuge both inside and outside.
CIVIC PRESENCE
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Sustainable features include tall exterior windows with glazing and sloped ceilings maximize and direct natural light into classrooms, improving learning environments and reducing lighting demands; geothermal mechanical system; solar hot water collection; super-insulated building envelope; and, high efficiency plumbing and lighting fixtures and equipment. Using regionally sourced masonry products and construction materials, this facility was constructed with a reduced transportation impact on the environment. Construction waste was controlled, sorted and recycled.
The building sits on a 31-acre parcel surrounding neighborhoods utilizing existing walking and bike paths to access shopping and community parks. The school instills students with a sense of commitment to their surrounding environmental spaces, while creating an engaging learning environment.
Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools
Rocky Mount High School
Rocky Mount, N.C. 248,000 sf 1,600 students LEED Gold
The new Rocky Mount High School is a two-story, 248,000 sf facility serving 1,600 students that reflects the district’s vision of a 21st Century high-performance educational facility. From the outset, the district invested in creating an energy-efficient and sustainable facility for their new high school. The facility is a two-story, “H” plan with central commons and includes a 1500 seat gymnasium, 300 seat auxiliary gym, 250 seat black box multi-purpose theatre, media/library center as well as general classrooms and career and technology spaces. In June 2013, Rocky Mount High School was the first high school in North Carolina to receive LEED Gold Certification from the US Green Building Council.
LEARNING AMBIANCE The new high school was designed as, a state-of-the-art learning facility that students, staff, administrators and the community would be proud of and ultimately, thrive in. All classrooms feature large, expansive windows for optimum daylighting. Wide corridors and a compact floor plan make it easy for students to move about the facility.
EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY The high school features a culinary arts program, automotive technology, JROTC, construction technology, masonry construction lab, self-contained and exceptional children learning center, technology and production labs, science classrooms, distance learning lab, health sciences lab, and multiple student collaboration/project rooms, computer labs in addition to general classrooms. Students are given the opportunity to study multiple disciplines in project collaboration through this wide offering of curriculum alternatives.
CIVIC PRESENCE The new Rocky Mount High School replaces the existing facility on the new site. Students and community alike share in the investment. The school is highly visible, hosting community events on a continual basis. The new athletic venues are in high demand and allow the community to experience all the facility has to offer. When you enter the new high school, the skylighted commons immediately imparts the notion that something special is happening at Rocky Mount High School.
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN: MULTI-FUNCTIONALITY Margaret B. Pollard Middle School, Chatham County Schools Many spaces at the high school offer themselves for multiple uses. The central atrium space serves as a commons area for the school as well as cafeteria space, student gathering space, and presentation/event space. The black box theatre is utilized as auditorium space, community use, theatrical events as well as staff training, and multiple class and curriculum opportunities.
SUBTLE SECURITY The entryway and main office configuration lends to a single point of access for all visitors. The main entrance requires all visitors to pass through the main office prior to access to the facility. All vertical circulation in the two story facility is accommodated on the two main stairs in the commons. This allows for continuous observation and supervision of student activities in the commons and hallways.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN The high school received LEED Gold certification, recognizing the high level of sustainability achievement. The facility features an innovative mechanical system design utilizing an centralized hybrid VAV closed-loop geothermal water source heat pump system with a dedicated outside air system to achieve better than a 50% efficiency rating over the code required baseline.
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY
SMALL LEARNING COMMUNITY (SLC)
A MEDIA CAFE ON EACH FLOOR HOUSES A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE DAY
ROLESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
LEARNING STREET
SCIENCE CLASSROOM TYPICAL CLASSROOM SMALL LEARNING COMMUNITY SLC CONFERENCE ROOM DISPLAY WALL SLC FACULTY ROOM
SLC STORAGE CTE CLASSROOM
SLC COMMONS
FOOD SERVICE MEDIA CAFE MEDIA COUNTER SATELLITE ADMINISTRATION SUITE
The design process included input from a broad cross-section of stakeholders who discussed how the principles of collaboration, personalization, small learning communities and ninth grade transition could be supported by architecture. The building is designed to optimize efficiency of spacial relationships. The plan configuration of the building creates exterior courtyards that can be used for a variety of activities. Classroom wings are designed to focus activities to the center which maximizes supervision and increases security while creating efficient circulation. The central organization allows each small learning community (SLC) to exist in close proximity to the path of primary circulation without being used as a thoroughfare. The commons feature abundant day-lighting with views to the courtyards. This transparency and different interior color schemes for each floor adds to the security and improves way-finding around the facility. The building orientation allows each classroom access to north or south facing natural light and views. Satellite administration areas are positioned on each floor to increase supervision and allow a single floor the flexibility to operate as a theme-based professional learning community or ninth grade center. A central media café on each floor of the classroom wing is equally accessible to classroom pods. Traditionally, large and seldom used program spaces are divided into multiple smaller spaces that are more convenient for educational purposes and foster a sense of community. These elements now have the flexibility for multiple uses. Short circulation corridors connect central commons to smaller commons that help define each of the 16 SLC’s. Each SLC includes faculty areas, conference rooms, wireless technology, storage and abundant display space. The four-story classroom wing is connected to the two-story athletic and performing arts wing via the main lobby and media center on the second floor. This allows the classroom wing to be closed off from the assembly wing during after-hours use. The building can also be secured to one main entrance through the administration reception space during the day. The simple geometry and compact four-story building footprint helps minimize the site impact of such a large facility. Each teaching space has a dedicated terminal unit for specific room temperature control and is supplied with more than code minimum ventilation air when the outside conditions are conducive. The installed HVAC system provides optimal capability to control indoor humidity levels. The building features an 88,000 gallon rainwater harvesting system that provides make-up water to the cooling tower. The design team and construction manager worked together from the project’s onset to examine every building system and design decision according to cost over the life of the facility. The exterior of the building is clad in brick veneer with metal panel accents. The roof is modified bitumen on a light weight concrete insulating deck. Main circulation areas and commons have polished concrete floors. Classroom demising walls are metal stud partitions with very high impact GWB to allow for future modifications. Classroom walls are extended to deck and sealed for high acoustical performance. The athletic and performing arts wing has CMU interior walls for greater durability
MULTI FUNCTIONALITY
CIVIC PRESENCE
LEARNING AMBIANCE
SUBTLE SECURITY
SUSTAINABILITY
Rolesville Middle School Rolesville, NC
Rolesville Middle School has a capacity of 1,311 students and at 196,000 SF, it is the third build of this prototype. It features a compact footprint and is able to be flexibly oriented making it ideal for sites in rapidly growing Wake County, NC. Sustainable features are integral to its design. Classrooms are located around the building’s perimeter and large windows are placed to take advantage of natural day lighting. South facing glass is shaded and light shelves direct sun’s rays deep into classroom spaces. Energy efficient electrical and mechanical systems reduce energy costs. The exterior is a combination of local North Carolina brick and light weight steel panels which are made from 27% recycled content.
SKINNER LAMM & HIGHSMITH
Rolesville Middle School Rolesville, NC
• Learning Ambience: Through the use of daylighting, views, color, and
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pattern, this school provides a welcoming atmosphere. While the school accommodates 1,311 students, the classroom wings feel more intimate through the innovative layout of team circulation. Each grade has four teams and each team has their own direct route to shared core facilities, creating a smaller school feel while keeping distractions to a minimum. Classrooms are located around the building’s perimeter and have large windows to take advantage of natural day lighting. An energy efficient HVAC system reduces energy costs and keeps the air quality and temperatures steady. Acoustical materials help alleviate sound and noise interruptions in the classrooms. Each classroom includes a tackable wall to display student work and is equipped with Smart boards, as well as wired for projectors and tv/dvd players. Educational Community: Teacher collaboration occurs in workrooms provided on each floor level. Each wing contains an open space for student collaboration and shared learning. Teachers and students also utilize the media center, cafetorium, or gymnasium for additional meeting space. Multi-Functionality: A moveable wall between the dining and cafetorium is provided to accommodate a larger meeting/gathering space, as well as a theater and stage for performances. The community is able to use these spaces, as well as the gym, after hours without having access to the classroom wings. Sustainable Design: Classrooms are located on the perimeter of the building to take advantage of natural day lighting. South facing glass is shaded and light shelves direct the sun’s rays into the classrooms. Energy efficient electrical and mechanical systems were designed to help reduce energy costs. Civic Presence: This school is very important to the Rolesville community. Local investments enhance the campus through sports lighting, a pedestrian bridge, a greenway connection, and additional toilet and maintenance facilities for public events. Subtle security: Visitors enter at the reception area and pass by an assistant principal’s office for easy monitoring while the bus drop-off entrance is adjacent to the student services receptionist. In addition to having an assistant principal on each of three floor levels in the classroom wing, security cameras are located throughout the school. Locker areas in classroom wings house half height lockers, which are located to maintain visibility from all sides.
SKINNER LAMM & HIGHSMITH
Sandy Ridge Elementary School
Durham Public Schools
DTW Architects & Planners Ltd. Learning Ambience Light-filled schools have been shown to improve learning. Sandy Ridge is oriented to gain the best angle of the sun for daylighting. Its corridors are light-filled with extended stretches of windows, and various building systems – water, heating, electrical – are painted different colors so students realize how their building operates. This learning is also supported by an Energy Dashboard, a building performance monitoring system, that is located near the facility’s Common Area. Teachers use corridors and classrooms for display of student projects. Pathways and trails on the site traverse near old barn foundations that show how the land was used before the school was built and now hold raised beds with native flora. The exterior of the building includes geometric forms, cheerful graphics and sunshades that enhance the facility’s educational presence.
Sandy Ridge Elementary School Old Oxford Highway & Hebron Road Durham, NC Completion Date: August 2011 Project Design Team: DTW Architects & Planners, Ltd. Neville Engineering / Structural Engineers Edmondson Engineers / Plumbing, HVAC & Electrical Coulter Jewell Thames Associates / Civil & Landscaping Colorlume / Daylighting Consultant Acoustical Insight / Acoustical Consultant Owner Contact: Mr. Hugh Osteen Durham Public Schools Phone: 919.560.3831 Hugh.Osteen@dpsnc.net
Mr. Tim Carr Durham Public Schools Phone: 919.560.2216 Tim.Carr@dpsnc.net
Educational Community Even at the elementary level, children need spaces to learn how to collaborate with their peers. Classrooms are organized for various learning activities including individual and shared discovering. At the Commons, located near the cafeteria, students can play on a built-in-place fire truck. The Media Center provides a range of seating options for varied learning approaches.
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Sandy Ridge Elementary School
Durham Public Schools
DTW Architects & Planners Ltd. Multi-Functionality Multi-functionality of spaces allows the school system to maximize the use of its facility. The gymnasium is a good example of a multi-functioning space: it is connected to the cafeteria with two enormous garage doors that allow either space to be expanded as required. In addition, the gym houses a stage on one side so the space can be used for both physical and drama/music activities.
Sustainable Design Sandy Ridge recently attained a Gold LEED certification, which attests to its achievement in minimizing its impact on the ecosystem, providing healthy and energy efficient environments, and minimizing long-term maintenance costs. Specifically, this facility incorporates a large percentage of regional and recyclable materials; reflective roofs and efficient heating, cooling and lighting systems; and water-saving plumbing fixtures.
Civic Presence Sandy Ridge Elementary is prized by its student, staff and parents as a school that emphasizes the importance of the educational mission, while providing a joyful atmosphere for learning. It is a pleasure to walk its light-filled corridors of bright colors.
Subtle Security Sandy Ridge is designed so the only public entry is into a security vestibule with electronic access only to the administrative area. The administrative offices are situated to allow visual control of the main entry, parking areas and security vestibule. The building floor plan allows that portions of the building can be locked down separately so the public cannot access certain areas such as classroom wings
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Hoke County Schools
Sandy Grove Middle School
Lumber Bridge, N.C. 74,000 sf 575 students
Sandy Grove Middle School is the nation’s first energy-positive, LEED-Platinum designed, leased public school. All stakeholders involved were cognizant of the focus on sustainable design elements necessary to protect the environment and enhance students learning and wellbeing. This project was delivered by public-private partnership allowing Hoke County to take advantage of a variety of tax credits, private sector financing, and innovative design and construction techniques, which will offset infrastructure costs for the renewable energy features.
LEARNING AMBIANCE The facility provides students with a clean, healthy learning environment through controlled indoor air quality, which limits toxins and pollutants in the air. All learning spaces minimize noise pollution through controlled acoustical design. A stimulating color palette distinguishes grade levels and provides students with an vibrant learning environment. This building is a teaching tool for students through a handson interactive dashboard located in the main lobby. Teachers use the dashboard as a tool to create lessons centered on the sustainable features of the building, how building systems work, and the buildings relationship between power production and use.
EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY Sandy Grove Middle School serves as a community cornerstone. The media center is open to the community during evening and weekend hours. A multimedia system located in the gymnasium acts as a resource for community meetings, PTA meetings and information nights. A walking track with lighting is available for community use.
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN: MULTI-FUNCTIONALITY CIVIC PRESENCE Margaret B. Pollard Middle School, Chatham County Schools While the gymnasium and media center provide a flexible venue for community and educational purposes, the school also features six resource rooms and a large exploratory lab. Resource rooms are located in each wing and easily adapt to serve various functions. The exploratory lab accommodates groups up to 40. These spaces easily convert, without major expense, to serve different purposes as programs change. The facility design allows for future expansion to serve up to 650 students.
The school is equipped with state-of-the-art technology emphasizing the importance of their STEM curriculum. Through this curriculum and by using the building as a teaching tool, students are encouraged to learn various ways to conserve energy. The entire school is equipped with SMART Board technology. A combination of desktop computers, laptops, and handheld devices are featured throughout the building.
SUBTLE SECURITY The building is structured into grade level houses with shared functions organized along the central spine. A single point of entry directs visitors from the bus and car parking areas. All visitors must check-in with the receptionist before entering the school. Expansive glass walls in the library/media center, cafeteria and lobby provide for easy supervision and transparency into spaces.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN The facility combines energy conserving practices with on-site renewable energy generation to produce 42% more energy than the school annually needs. Notable features include large photovoltaic panels on the roof and solar tree sculptures on the site, a geothermal heating and cooling system, highefficiency LED lighting, spray foam air barrier and a whole building generator. Building materials are built from recycled content and produced locally. Construction waste was sorted and recycled.
New Hanover County Schools
Snipes Academy of Arts and Design
Wilmington, N.C. 89,580 sf 600 students LEED Gold
With the commitment to redevelop the Snipes Academy site, the New Hanover County Schools made an emphatic statement about the value of community. As a centerpiece of redevelopment, the new Snipes Academy is designed to support the revitalization of an urban community. The 500 seat auditorium and community gymnasium are designed specifically to support community activities. The main corridor gallery exhibits student works in arts and design while also extending the public space into the facility, enhancing its community gesture. Settled in an urban residential neighborhood, Snipes Academy of Arts and Design occupies 6.5 acres in the City of Wilmington.
LEARNING AMBIANCE The Snipes Academy of Arts and Design intended to set a new standard for educational facility design for New Hanover County Schools. Through creating a stimulating arts and design learning environment for students, it blends a new understanding of environmental and educational concerns. As part of its arts and desive is emphasized by the main corridor gallery that serves to display student works and reinforces the mission of the school. Exciting exterior classroom elements include the rain gardens, cisterns, and the cypress tree learning center.
EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY New Hanover County Schools vision for this facility centered on the local community. As a centerpiece of redevelopment, the new Snipes Academy supports the revitalization of an urban community. The 500-seat auditorium, gymnasium and dining area support community activities such as gatherings, recreational use, dining and theatrical events.
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN: MULTI-FUNCTIONALITY Margaret B. Pollard Middle School, Chatham County Schools The educational spaces in the Snipes Academy serve the overall mission of the arts and design academy. The full size auditorium and gymnasium spaces are uncommon in elementary schools and yet serve as the central flex space for the visual and performing arts curriculum. The gymnasium offers further flexibility for performances, rehearsals, green and dressing rooms and the dining/cafeteria is used continuously during the day for collaborative classes.
CIVIC PRESENCE The new Snipes Academy design, scaled to step up and away from the streetfront, lends respect to the residential scale of the streetscape as well as pay homage to the original art deco/ art moderne style of the 1939 structure. An important element in the design was the selective incorporation of elements of the former facility to offer elements of memory and recollection at locations throughout the facility.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN The Snipes Academy was awarded LEED Gold Certification and the Lower Cape Fear Stewardship Award for its significant contribution to sustainable design and outstanding environmental stewardship through the protection, conservation, improvement, and awareness of our natural resources.
SUBTLE SECURITY The main entrance requires all visitors to pass through the main office prior to access to the facility. The use of glazed vision panels offers subtle and effective observation and supervision.
2013 NCSBA
Award for Excellence in Architectural Design Competition
About the Award The NCSBA Board of Directors established the Award for Excellence in Architectural Design as an educational tool for board members to use to enhance their knowledge of school design and its affect on student achievement. Participants of the 2013 NCSBA Annual Conference will vote on their favorite design. The winning firm will receive recognition and award during the Third General Session Luncheon on Tuesday, Nov. 19.