TILLMAN DESIGN
Architectural & Graphic Design
Gathering Space
A new Student Commons serves as the heart of the school’s updated layout, while encouraging a greater sense of community and collaboration that the client aimed to impart throughout the project.
Located adjacent to the school’s new main entry and gym, the Commons is also an ideal location for community meetings and gatherings, further solidifying the school’s role in the small town.
First Level Floor Plan
The existing school building was a fairly typical 1950s single level facility - double-loaded corridors, low ceiling heights, and a lack of flexibility and support spaces necessary for modern education. A large multipurpose room acted as the gym, cafeteria, and assembly area. The new Commons and gymnasium more effectively support the school’s needs, while their central location ensures equal access for the whole school as well as straightforward access for the community. The multipurpose room becomes a fully functional media center with connected maker space to better support STEM education. A secure entry complements the school’s new security methods across the school, providing secure options and peace of mind while minimizing the impact on education. Extensive Special Education facilities provide the resources necessary to effectively support those students’ particular needs.
Second Level Floor Plan
Most crucially, the new classroom wings on both levels of the addition are organized around shared Project Spaces, providing each grade its own dedicated space for breakout, collaboration, and educational exploration. The back wall of each classroom uses a full-width operable glass wall to provide as much or little separation as the curriculum requires, allowing teachers the ability to adjust the classroom around what they’re teaching. Students are able to work separately outside of the classroom while teachers are still able to supervise them at a glance while still within the room. A small lab space located in the center of each classroom wing provides a space for more hands-on technical learning when needed.
Project Spaces
Natural light and ventilation combine with energetic colors and design elements to encourage more active education and research, while also helping occupants feel calm and productive. The accent colors in these spaces vary by grade, giving each group of students a sense of pride and shared identity in addition to aiding with wayfinding.
Collaborative Spaces
The operable walls not only help teachers easily supervise students, but also can allow for multiple classrooms to collaborate on large group activities or lessons at a whim.
Classroom Interior
The classrooms receive ample amounts of natural light from the Project Spaces. Additionally, the upper level classrooms use large clerestories to bring in indirect light. Motorized roller shades on the clerestory windows provide the ability to block light during presentations.
Educational Flexibility
In combination with the operable walls, the flexible furniture used throughout the school provides a range of educational and collaborative possibilities.
Media Center Interior
The former multipurpose room was repurposed into a bright and inviting media center. The highlight is the central reading nook and its decorative ceiling baffles, which were designed to abstractly evoke the feeling of reading below a tree. The baffles also help to filter some of the direct light from the existing clerestories. The rest of the space is zoned into areas for focused reading as well as flexible learning and collaboration. Extensive acoustical treatment on the walls and ceiling help to make the space much more conducive to its needs. A large sliding barn door at the back of the space connects to the new maker space, allowing those activities to be closed off or flow into the media center when needed.
Solid Foundation
Many original elements are very beneficial to the renovated design, including the elegant wood beams, large clerestories, and high ceiling.
The Magic of Reading
The design helps create a unique sense of peace and tranquility within the central reading nook.
Surrounded by Books
A full-height bookcase along an entire wall helps energize the space visually, while also providing another unique seating option for students.
Renovated Classrooms
The existing building was updated as well, with particular attention paid to the classrooms. The large existing windows supply ample natural light and ventilation. Flexible furniture, updated technology, and improved lighting help bring these classrooms in line with modern educational practices.
Revitalization
The existing classrooms were very traditional, with most rooms still using the original chalkboards. The original building also lacked HVAC - while the fairly low structural height made the use of ceiling ducts impossible, large ventilator units were able to bring these rooms up to modern ventilation standards.
New Gym
The new gym provides an additional competition-sized athletic facility for the district and community’s needs. A mix of minimalist whites and grays help balance the school’s traditionally bold blue and yellow, creating a refined and modern palette while still embracing school pride.