Centerbrook is designing a new Middle School building for this private, 900-student, K-12 day school. A gateway building, it will be located alongside a new entry drive into the campus where it will convey a fresh, forward-looking image for the school. The building’s lobby will feature a large, two-story glass cylinder that will function as a lantern-like landmark for those entering and navigating the school grounds.
The new Middle School building will use passive approaches such as partial submersion into a slope, window shading, and window light shelves to reduce the cost of fuel. Active technologies such as photovoltaic arrays will generate clean solar energy and do double duty as tangible teaching aids for study of the environment.
The building will have an extraordinary connection with nature. A south-facing terrace on its second floor, shaded from the sun by large louvers, will admit breezes for comfort in North Carolina’s temperate climate. The terrace will overlook a large new permaculture garden which students will study as part of the Middle School curriculum. An adjacent pavilion beside a small pond in the garden will provide a functional and pleasant venue for meetings, classes, and special events.
Renderings © Centerbrook