Awards

Reeds Spring Middle School

The design for this middle school denies the conventional act of scraping the site, flattening the hilltops and destroying its natural character. Instead, it is strategically positioned at the edge of a 150-acre wooded site to nestle into a hillside and flows down the valley. The woods and topography were preserved to allow this state-of-the-art school to emerge from the landscape.

A competition gymnasium and a 1,000-seat auditorium are buried in the hillside, secured with a 480’ long retaining wall, and topped with a vegetated roof for maximum storm safety in this tornado-prone area. A three-story classroom wing lines the trees with operable glass walls, charging stations and collaboration spaces connecting students. A cascading stair in the three-story atrium flows through the center of the building attracting occupants for informal learning, social activities, and lunchtime. The design accommodates the district’s push for technology integration, collaborative learning, and tornado safety.

 

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