Middle school

A new 100,000-square-foot Orchard Mesa Middle School opened its doors in December 2019. BG+co. was tasked by Mesa County School District 51 to deliver an awe-inspiring and inviting educational space where students and teaching staff look forward to being at. From the unique refraction of light off the exterior metal panels to the flexible interior space allowing students to work in different styles, the school is designed to connect with nature and strike a dialogue between its students and the spaces they inhabit while providing educational opportunities throughout.   Steve Maylone Photography + MH Lighting A variety of lighting solutions were needed to address the requirements of numerous learning environments within the schoo... More

Crossroads School is a K-12 private school whose upper school is situated on an unconventional urban infill campus. This 13,000 sf warehouse across the street from the original campus, previously used as storage by airplane parts distributor, was acquired by the school to accommodate an eclectic mix of functions that needed to be relocated from adjacent structures. Nico Marques The existing double bow-truss structure provided voluminous ceiling height and the project focused on seizing the opportunities that this provided. The raw industrial aesthetic was sympathetic with the character and ethos of Crossroads School. Nico Marques The eclectic program of the project was inserted into the existing structure as a set of distinct vo... More

 Often, when you think of a library, you can think of a hard atmosphere of sitting quietly and focusing only on books. Such a library will only help you fall asleep, even if you go to read books, and it will be boring and boring. Especially for children who are just getting access to books, I think they will accept the library as a place that is not fun and they don't want to go. However, books are a turbulent and exciting channel of knowledge that allows us to travel to various places, meet various people, and provide various information. I thought books should be lively and friendly, not boring. Isn't the library a playground with books? The interior design of the library at Kangbit Elementary and Middle School began with this idea.... More

In January of 2012, the 1,200 students of Virginia Beach’s Great Neck Middle came back from winter break to receive one last gift – a new school.The over $35 million dollar project consisted of a three-story building employing sustainable materials, the newest technologies, and an aesthetically appealing structural design. A more than substantial upgrade from the original 50-year-old building, the new school features an assortment of additions – from visual improvements, such as updated color schemes, natural woods and fabrics, to up-to-date technology like touch screen monitors and Smartboards in each room. ALPOLIC Now L.E.E.D. certified, the newly constructed building also takes a much greener approach. Using a met... More

Opened in 1910 in Los Angeles, Berendo is the oldest California middle school continuously operating on the same site.  The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) selected CO Architects to design the new free-standing gymnasium and renovate an existing administrative space into a mental health clinic.  The new gym, playfield, and plaza sustainably extend Berendo’s service to its more than 800 students and the neighboring communities of Pico-Union, MacArthur Park, and Koreatown.  The school has nearly 100 percent minority enrollment, the majority of students being Hispanic and economically disadvantaged. Nils Timm The design brief called for an approach that celebrated and facilitated the connection between Be... More

In Frisco, Texas, the new Griffin Middle School campus was designed with modern education in mind, focusing on small learning communities within the school, as well as spaces for larger group gatherings. Spanning over 180,000 square-feet over two stories, the high-traffic areas require durable materials that can withstand the wear and tear of daily school activities. Banker Wire’s architectural woven wire mesh pattern FPZ-16 was chosen by designers for both its sturdiness as well as it’s aesthetic benefits. The iconic curved glass front of the building, as well as the numerous broad windows, create an airy atmosphere in the school’s main hall. FPZ-16’s 66.5% open area produces a strong barrier to ensure the safety o... More

Ted Ankara College, giving education to 6000 students per year for 70 years, used to have a strong relation with the city thanks to its location, though with a lack of open spaces. The project aims to increase the amount of open spaces while intensifying the social life-education relation. As a significant design principle, contemporary education is adopted by composing various indoor and outdoor common spaces. The main theme is interpretation and projection of city simulation in a campus plan. City life is considered as the main educational framework by providing numerous common places where education comes into the practice. Cemal Emden Cemal Emden The classrooms are defined as “ateliers” instead of being compartmen... More

Drops falling onto lake cause ripples, as if people acquire knowledge from ​​books, transform information to inspiration by pondering over and over again, ultimately turn into brilliant interpretation.The project is under direct subsidy scheme secondary school instituted by government; campus has been worn out over 35 years and associated with problems such as low usage rate of library. In view of this, the designer hopes to beautify the premises and refurbish existing library with warm atmosphere, thereby achieving effective passing on of knowledge, inspiring students and develop a better society for the future. More

Just outside the Portland city limits, Rockwood is among the most diverse and lowest income areas in the Portland metro area. Three non-profit organizations—Open School, Boys & Girls Club of Portland, and New Avenues for Youth—came together to create a two-building, 3.5-acre non-profit campus to support the neighborhood’s community of underserved youth. The campus delivers places for kids of all ages to learn, play, and socialize. The concurrent development of the two buildings enabled the organizations to create shared facilities that reduced initial capital investment. Open School East is an innovative college-prep school that prepares students who have struggled in traditional public school for success in college, career, and communi... More

Renovations to the Rodeph Sholom Lower School transformed the first and second floors of its 1960s era, Brutalist style building with a dynamic façade renovation, a new entrance and lobby, a library, an art room, offices and playdecks. Unifying the work is a projecting sculptural canopy which frames the new entrance and provides a welcoming experience for students and families. MBB’s recommended expansion of the Rodeph Sholom Upper School into an adjacent five-story brownstone made a substantial impact on the school. The narrow townhouse was optimized efficiently to house new classrooms, a new library, an expanded gymnasium, and faculty offices. MBB’s design concept emphasizes sustainable practices and environmental awareness, and achieves... More

Reeds Spring Middle School takes best advantage of a steeply sloped and heavily wooded site to combine student learning, community engagement and the natural environment into its K-12 campus. The design solution accommodates the district’s desire for state of the art technology integration, collaborative learning and storm safety as the highest priorities for its students.The result of a collaborative planning exercise with the district, a new semi-circular ring road will connect existing district facilities and provide access to new ones as well, including this new middle school. The strong geometry of the road responds to the need for clear organization and site topography, minimizing land disturbance.In order to preserve the natural envi... More

In the small town of Montgomery City, Missouri (population 2,835), basketball draws the community together to cheer their team to victory creating the need for a new competition gym at the Middle School. This new addition and pedestrian plaza provides a new gateway to athletic events. It includes a kitchen and commons that doubles as cafeteria during the day and a preconvene for nighttime events.Working with a local precast manufacturer, the surface of the concrete enclosure is developed as a bold, durable graphic representation of the school logo, “The Power Cat”, marking the entry to athletic facilities. Expressed as equally spaced, vertical concrete fins, the graphic logo is animated throughout the day with the changing sunlight. Blue gl... More