K-12 Education

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SSOE provided facility master planning, design, and engineering services for the 13,849 SF expansion and the 32,778 SF renovation of the Natural Science Technology Campus (NSTC). The project reconfigured existing classrooms and support spaces to provide each classroom with flexible learning environments for enhanced 21st-Century learning and the expansion of grade levels. In addition to the interior renovations within the existing building, two new additions were added to provide a timber framed multi-purpose space, eight additional classrooms, and additional restroom facilities, among other infrastructure improvements.

As part of the overall design strategy, major enhancements to the exterior were incorporated into the facility expansion / renovation. These improvements included the installation of new window systems in key locations, strategic upgrades to the exterior envelope, a redesigned and reskinned building entry with an added wood timber framed canopy, and a completely new roofing system for the entire existing structure.

The interior enhancements feature upgraded finishes, advanced technology and WiFi, improved lighting and power, modern casework, ADA-compliant door hardware, flexible furniture, and increased natural light in previously windowless areas. Notable elements include the hanging acoustical lily pads in the corridor, simulated wood-wrapped TV areas, and nature-inspired finishes, colors, materials, and graphic panels.

The goal for the NSTC was to provide spaces that reflect Toledo Public School’s mission and purpose. As TPS’s design partner, SSOE aligned architecture, interior design, and branding in the first phase of the facility’s renovations. Regardless of size, SSOE approaches every project with the same design passion and programming to ensure the client’s needs and expectations are met.

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SSOE is currently working on prototype architectural plans for K-12 buildings throughout South Carolina to include elementary, middle, high school, and Career Technology Education (C.T.E.) buildings. Plans will be utilized by the participating school districts with the designer being hired by the school district to do the site-adapt of the plans.

According to the SCDE’s proposal for the American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds, students and schools in South Carolina face critical issues including the need for upgraded facilities. SSOE will work this client to develop the most effective and efficient learning environments benefiting the state education system overall.

 

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Two-Level Elementary School

 Mountain View Elementary School is a 144,000-square foot two-level facility that is replacing the district’s existing elementary school.

Upgraded Instructional Units

The elementary school expanded to 63 instructional units, 53 of those for Kindergarten through 5th grade classrooms. Other instructional units include a cafeteria and kitchen, gymnasium, media center, two computer labs, two art labs, and two music labs.

16-Acre Site

The replacement school is nestled on a 16-acre site which includes parking for 155 cars, a separate queuing area for buses and car pick-up, a playfield with track, two playgrounds, and two play courts.

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SSOE completed the redesign and historic rehabilitation of the empty David T. Howard School, once attended by notable African American luminaries such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., into a modern middle school in the heart of Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward neighborhood.

The $52 million project, which began in early 2017, includes an administrative wing based on an originally designed element that was never built, a four-level classroom addition, media center, auditorium, music wing, and kitchen and cafeteria.

The design team’s approach focused on the existing plan diagram to ensure the building’s historic features were maintained. The new addition connects to the existing building with elements that keep the existing building’s brick visible and joins all the building’s components.

The school is a four-story concrete frame building with brick cladding. The floor plan is a simple “U” shape with corridors connecting the classroom wings. The main entrances along the bottom of the “U” are also identified by decorative brick and stone details. The existing classroom building reflects the original layout as much as possible, and the new classroom wing consists of core, science, and music classrooms; the kitchen and cafeteria; and an auditorium.

SSOE designed a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) HVAC system with 100% outdoor air for the classroom portions of the building, including the historic building. The VRF system allowed the design team to minimize ductwork in the classrooms and maintain the existing high ceilings in the historic classrooms and corridors. Because the VRF outdoor units weigh less than conventional systems, the design team was able to minimize structural modifications to the historic building, saving cost and time. The areas served by VRF are paired with packaged roof top dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) with energy recovery. The new DOAS and VRF HVAC systems designed for the project will save energy over the years to come and contribute to an optimal indoor environmental quality for the students and staff and give each space served the ability to control space environmental conditions.

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Colorful & Bright Designs

The Lovett School Senior Student Lounge incorporates colorful and bright design elements throughout the space. The furniture selected for this space is playful and easily movable, providing maximum flexibility to accommodate various activities from casual gatherings and club meetings, to larger senior class presentations and activities.

The entrance to this space was relocated and the stair from the café space bellow was redesigned, allowing for a safer flow of traffic during the morning rush.

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Design-Build Engineering

As part of the design-build team with Turner Construction Company, our firm provided architectural and structural engineering design services for the SPLOST IV Capital Improvement Program.

Multi-Purpose Space

The new two-level classroom building addition includes eight standard classrooms along with one large multipurpose space that can be subdivided into two smaller rooms. The lower level, opens to an existing exterior courtyard and the area between the new buildings and existing facility is covered with a continuous canopy.

Design Balance

Designed with the surrounding community in mind, the 4/5 Academy addition respects the scale of the adjacent residential neighborhood.

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Architectural & Structural Design

As part of the design-build team with Turner Construction Company, our firm provided architectural and structural engineering design services for the SPLOST IV Capital Improvement Program.

Eight Classroom Addition

The new eight classroom building addition at Oakhurst Elementary School includes demolition of an existing kindergarten wing and the redevelopment of site utilities. Additional work includes new parking, storm water detention system, an outdoor playground and Farm to School garden area.

Located in an established residential neighborhood, the Oakhurst addition was designed with the surrounding community in mind. The addition is compatible with the scale of the surrounding residential neighborhood.

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New School Featuring District’s Innovative Programming Standards

The King Springs Elementary School is a 67 Instructional Unit replacement school that is located on the same site as the former school. The program is based on Cobb County Schools’ standards and includes Pre-K, Kindergarten, Primary (Grades 1-3), and Intermediate (Grades 4-5) classrooms, as well as a Media Center (Learning Commons Area), cafeteria/kitchen, gymnasium, and art and music programs.

Reducing the Footprint to Work with Existing Site  

Due to the limited area of the existing campus, the new design is configured with a three-level main classroom element that both reduces the footprint as well as works with the existing site topography. Site amenities include two play areas as well as a separate play field, separate parent and bus parking, and queuing areas.

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Originally built in 1913, Jesup W. Scott High School has endured to become an icon in the City of Toledo’s Historical West End District. The SSOE led renovation ensured preservation
of the historic landmark in the Old West End of Toledo, giving the facility a face-lift and adding modern technology to create a modern school in a timeless structure.

The renovation of the facility re-used much of the demolished material from the project, including the quarry-tile flooring. New electrical and mechanical systems, lighting schemes, and low-flow plumbing add to the energy management system providing extra cost savings. Installation of new replacement windows were installed to match the historical aesthetic of the facility. The exterior of the facility was updated with a white reflective roof and the terra cotta stone was cleaned, preserving the early 20th century look.

The renovation not only protects the school’s historical presence and restored to its original grandeur, but also updates the institution for today’s students. This project received a design award from AIA Toledo for the renovation of the Jesup W. Scott High School.

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Designing For Two Separate Additions

SSOE was selected to design and develop Harrison High School’s Gym and Performing Arts Center in Cobb County School District. The project includes two separate additions; a 750-seat performing arts theater and a 3,000 seat competition gymnasium, in addition to several re-configurations of existing interior spaces, a new parking lot, new bus staging lot, and relocated tennis courts all on a challenging high school campus.

Strategic Configuration Of Space

Strategic planning of the existing configuration resulted in a layout that provided direct and contiguous access to the new program spaces. Effective use of the existing topography allowed the two-level gym to be situated so that access to the seats is on the upper level, with the court level below, with on-grade egress. Interior renovations included re-configuring the existing theater into a Black Box theater, broadcast video suite, multi-purpose music space, and connecting corridor to the new PAC addition.

 

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Pre-Existing Renovation & New Construction

SSOE was hired by Bamberg County School District Two to provide Pre-Bond Referendum Conceptual Design Studies that would enable the district to renovate their pre-existing high school and construct a new Pre-K-8 facility and School District Administration and Maintenance offices.

Combined Pre-K-12 Campus

The goal – create a combined Pre-K-12 campus, or school facility, with accompanying baseball, softball, and soccer fields, tennis courts, and a new 1,500-seat football stadium, that will be able to compete with neighboring districts all while providing an environment that fosters success and sparks creativity.

Decreasing Maintenance Costs

With hopes of ultimately decreasing the district’s yearly facility maintenance costs, the proposed new campus will consist of the following: a new 75,000-square foot Pre-K-8 school with an initial core capacity of 700 students; shared kitchen area; and more than 85,000-square feet of renovations to the District’s existing high school.

The new PK-8 Elementary / Middle School and High School Renovations include more than 100,000-square feet of space.

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New Instructional Philosophy

SSOE worked with Richland School District Two to design and develop a new, PK-5 school that directly reflects the district’s latest philosophy for instructional space for an elementary school.

Accommodating 1,200 Students

Designed with an infrastructure and core functions capable of accommodating up to 1,200 students, this new facility incorporates two identical, two-story classroom wings, with flexible learning spaces, separated by core Administrative and Media Center functions. A separate, central wing houses the school’s cafeteria, multi-purpose room, and art and music classrooms, while each floor of each educational wing includes a spacious Collaborative Commons Area.

Challenging Site

The sloping site, which features wooded wetlands on two sides, also includes separate parent vehicle drop-off access to an adjacent housing development, as well as separate bus and parent drop-off access points on-site.

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New Building Concept

SSOE was approached by School District Five of Lexington/Richland Counties to develop a concept for a new on-campus Health Sciences building.

State-Of-The-Art Features

The new state-of-the-art facility, sited on an existing hill, separates the school’s main campus from its neighboring athletic facilities and is now subdivided into three levels that feature a number of flexible learning spaces, athletic support areas, and an adjoining physical therapy area.

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District’s Vision Comes To Life

The new 20,000 SF Training & Support Facility is designed based on the district’s following vision statement: “The Children First Professional Learning Center will provide an inviting, inspirational environment that promotes collaboration and fosters professional learning for district staff to increase student achievement and success.”

New Spaces

The facility will include multiple small, medium, and large conference / training rooms to accommodate up to 150 attendees in one space. The new addition will also include a large IT receiving space as well as offices for the Curriculum and Special Services Departments.

 

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New Athletic Arena

Originally designed in 1929, Brookland-Cayce High School has since undergone a series of additions and renovations. Recent improvements include a new cafeteria and kitchen addition, fine arts and media center wing, various classroom renovations, athletic facilities upgrades, and a new state-of-the-art 5,000-seat athletic arena.

The design architect for this project is Jumper Carter Sease. SSOE provided electrical and civil engineering design services.

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Three-Story Renovation

The Westminster Schools Pressly Hall Renovations encompassed the renovation of Pressly Hall’s three stacked levels. Project goals were to update the following three areas: Office of Institute Advancement (OIA), college counseling, and student counseling departments. The renovation reflects Westminster’s desire to obtain more open, modern spaces that reflect their pedagogy as an institution. This goal was achieved by creating inviting spaces with the flexibility to better serve students, families, donors, and members of the community for generations to come.

Student Counseling Office

First floor renovations involved the schools’ student counseling office, specifically counselor offices, training rooms, waiting areas, and small break area. The new training room, adjacent to the student counseling office, was opened up to the corridor with glass doors, movable walls, and flexible furniture.

Office Of Institute Advancement

The pre-existing OIA, located on the third floor, was dated, closed-in, and non-flexible space. Project goals were to provide open collaborative and private spaces for meetings with donors. To attain this, the team used glass walls and open ceilings with acoustic clouds.

In addition, the space is also to be used for small events. To accomplish this, an exterior entertainment deck on the adjacent roof of the second floor was placed outside the OIA Break Area. By providing a small, spacious place for events, staff can enjoy and entertain guests and donors in a private area with views overlooking the lush campus.

College Of Counseling Center

Located on the second floor, renovations to the college counseling center, was to provide open and inviting spaces for students and their families. A reception area with casual seating welcomes students and families. Each office has glass walls with privacy film to allow exterior light to extend to the corridors and to provide space for meetings. A small conference room was included in the design for meetings with extended families.

Changes to the second floor highlight the student counseling area, setting it off with wood panels, glass doorways, and openings, creating a feeling of accessibility and openness.

Renovations to the second floor main hallway from the grand staircase to the end of the hallway, past the President’s Office, were key to setting the tone for the new model.

SSOE worked with The Westminster Schools on the renovation of the three-story Pressly Hall.

 

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Addressing The Changing Role Of Media Centers

SSOE recently completed the interior redesign of Fulton County Schools 14 existing high school media centers, all based on newly-adopted space criteria that acknowledged the changing role of media centers in high schools.

Inviting Environments

Design elements include new furniture, improved technology, updated finishes, and the re-configuration of staff and student spaces that create flexible, inviting environments for individual study or small group collaboration within several classrooms.

New Concepts

New concepts include a technology bar, learning commons, sandbox classroom, group study rooms, soft lounge seating, computer benching, mobile stacks, and a hands-on project space.

The schools included Bannecker High School, Creekside High School, John’s Creek High School, Milton High School, North View High School, and Roswell High School.

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Project-Based Immersive Learning

The Ronald E. McNair Middle School is Fulton County Schools’ first example of a facility design based on the principles of project-based immersive learning. By introducing immersive learning concepts and further developing district-specific ideas originally presented in a two-day charrette, SSOE and immersive learning consultant, LITTLE, transformed the conventional wing design of their previous middle schools into groups of instructional spaces organized as “neighborhoods.”

Interconnected Neighborhoods

Individual classrooms and science labs in each wing were reconfigured into three distinct yet interconnected neighborhoods, also known as learning communities. The redesign allows teachers to interact with more than one class at a time, evoking a greater sense of community and communication between learning areas. Students can remain in their neighborhoods for the better part of a school day, freely circulating between productive spaces designed for class, labs, and teamwork.

Collaborative Spaces

The neighborhood includes four connected classroom areas and a workshop / lab, along with a series of adjoining collaborative spaces for individual study, small group activities, and a tiered lecture space. In addition, a strategically located teacher planning area is at the center of the neighborhood.

New Design For Upcoming Middle Schools

The outcome of this effective immersive learning design has proven so successful for the McNair Middle School that the same design principles were developed for a series of middle school additions in a separate part of the district.

 

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Developing A Campus Master Plan

Faced with growing challenges pertaining to circulation and architectural identity, SSOE worked with School District Five of Lexington / Richland Counties to develop a campus master plan for Irmo High School that would artfully address concerns regarding contrasting architectural styles, school identity, and on-site circulation.

Addressing On-Site Circulation

By revamping on-site circulation and creating a clear delineation between vehicular and pedestrian traffic, our design team proposed an increase in on-site vehicle stacking in order to alleviate traffic backing up onto St. Andrews Road, the main thoroughfare onto campus.

Visually & Physically Reconnecting The Campus

By incorporating a number of new plazas and canopies in front of the existing academic buildings, C.A.T.E. facilities and proposed new auditorium, the design team was able to visually and physically re-connect the campus.

SSOE worked with School District Five of Lexington / Richland Counties to define a new architectural identity for Irmo High School.

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Renovations To Existing Facility

SSOE provided Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire Protection, and Electrical design services for renovations and additions to the existing Dougherty Comprehensive High School in Albany, Georgia.

Center For Excellence

The existing school will be transformed into a Center of Excellence for the Arts. The project will be completed in two phases.

Building Features

The Vocational Wing (High School CTAE Career Pathways) includes business labs; health occupations lab; engineering, drawing, and design lab; automotive service technology lab; engineering and technology multi-use lab; and personal care services / cosmetology labs.
The Arts Center of Excellence wing includes a renovated auditorium, along with a Black Box Theater, dance studio, and music and art labs.

The additions and renovations to Dougherty County Comprehensive High School transform the existing facility into a state-of-the-art Center of Excellence for the Arts.

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A Bold New Vision

The new Morgan County High School and Career Academy is the result of a bold vision by district leadership to create a new school with a central focus on college and career pathways. In a journey that began with the idea of a renovated high school facility and new career academy transformed through much planning and community input into an ambitious program that delivers both into one facility.

Building Highlights

The 42 instructional unit includes 28 classrooms; five science labs; a media center; gymnasium; band, choral, and art departments; F]family-living suite; and JROTC Suite. The two-story academy wing includes specific spaces for programs in healthcare, culinary arts, horticulture, ag mechanics, engineering, biotech science, business, cosmetology, and marketing. Also included in the design is a 500-seat auditorium.

The building’s plan features separate drop-off entrances for buses and parents as well as a third entry for the career academy program. The new facility, which is adjacent to and connects to the existing ninth grade academy, is situated directly across from the pre-existing stadium.

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Implementing A Contemporary Design

In order to comfortably accommodate a significant increase in the school’s student population, SSOE worked with School District Five of Lexington / Richland Counties to implement a contemporary design that successfully addressed the district’s challenges surrounding circulation and capacity relief.

Building Features

The renovation and expansion project included numerous instructional spaces, science labs, visual and performing arts facilities, ROTC training classrooms, and a new state-of-the-art athletic facility with adjoining practice fields.

SSOE worked with School District Five of Lexington / Richland Counties to develop a design concept that would better accommodate the growth in student population at Chapin High School.

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New Learning Environments

As part of Fulton County Schools’ goal to introduce new learning environments into their existing school facilities, SSOE worked with school administrators and staff to design a new two-story addition at Autrey Mill Middle School. The addition, which now connects to the building’s pre-existing two-level classroom, also included the addition of lab and teaching space totaling more than 25,000 SF.

Incorporating A New Learning Typology

The resulting addition incorporates the district’s new “Immersive Learning” neighborhood concept incorporated at the recently completed Ronald E. McNair Middle School and re-formulated it to integrate with the existing school.

New Additions

The addition includes 11 classrooms, two science laboratories, and one new art lab, designed to replace an existing undersized art suite. The decision was made to relocate the new art lab, making it a vital part of the new addition as a way to better introduce art into the school’s core classroom planning scheme.

SSOE designed the original 185,000 SF facility back in 2001. The Autrey Mill Middle School Addition incorporates the district’s new “Immersive Learning Neighborhood Concept,” which is based on the recently completed Ronald E. McNair Middle School.

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SSOE, in association with Charleston-based Red Iron Architects, is working with Charleston County School District on a new academic wing for Haut Gap Middle School. The project scope includes the expansion of the school’s academic wings and the construction of a new band room, music support spaces, and a collaborative area.

A New Academic Wing

Haut Gap Middle School, which was originally designed for grades 6-8, is experiencing a high volume of growth. Because of this, the district identified a need for a new academic wing. The scope of this project will include an expansion of the school’s academic wings and the construction of a new band room that will eliminate the need for trailers currently used on campus.

The design team, which includes Charleston-based WBE, took several factors into consideration, including cost, grand oaks, and spatial needs. One option includes six new classrooms, a flex S.T.E.A.M. lab, a band room, orchestra room, soundlock vestibule, music support spaces, a teacher team room, project storage, and a collaborative area.

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New CATE Center Design

SSOE, in association with WBE-based firm, Red Iron Architects, worked with Jasper County School District on the design of the district’s new Career and Technical Education (CATE) Center. The center now serves the district’s new and existing high school students.

Introducing Students To New Trades & Workforce Development Skills

The CATE Center, which is connected to Ridgeland-Hardeeville High School, provides a unique program that introduces students to profitable trades and skills that can be used to enhance their future. The center accommodates programs for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); health science; information technology (IT); and transportation, distribution, and logistics.

Building highlights include Health and Biomedical labs, STEM labs, flexible classrooms, computer, and logistics-focused classrooms, makerspace, state-of-the-art culinary program, and more. The building’s large central area is used as break-out space for the adjacent classrooms and laboratories, large project space, exhibition space, robotic competitions, and/or a meeting area for career fairs.

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New Regional Career Center in the Heart of Downtown North Charleston

SSOE, in association with Red Iron Architects, was selected by Charleston County School District to design their new 90,000 SF Center for Advanced Studies. The facility, located in the downtown area of North Charleston, South Carolina, is one of three regional career centers in the district. Students can now attend the center during the day to enhance their skills in the fields of architecture and construction, manufacturing, transportation, distribution and logistics, the arts, audiovisual technology and communications, health sciences, STEM, and information technology. The facility is designed to accommodate programs that align with immediate employment opportunities, the state’s technical school programs, and four-year university programs as well. Our team received a Building Design+Construction (BD+C) Building Team Award for our design of this unique interactive learning facility, receiving high marks for our community involvement and collaboration.

State-of-the-Art Research Labs, Studios, and Classrooms

The full architectural and engineering scope of services included planning and programming, assistance in the development of education specifications, spearheading community and local business / industry engagement, as well as architecture, interiors, structural, civil, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering. Specialized spaces include high-bay facilities for HVAC; automotive collision repair; mechatronics; electronics and building construction; and labs for biomedical engineering, cybersecurity, computer repair, and “Project Lead the Way.”

Additional spaces within this new building include state-of-the-art research labs / studios, a technology hub, flexible classrooms, an administrative suite, maker spaces, a large two-story exhibition space, 150-seat lecture hall, nursing suite, the district’s audiovisual department, career guidance area, cafe, and more.

The new Cooper River Center for Advanced Studies has a strong connection with the community, providing a space for local business and industry partners to not only teach but lead by example. SSOE worked with woman-owned business and Charleston-based architectural firm Red Iron Architects, civil engineering firm Hussey Gay Bell, and mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection firm Owens & Associates.

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Addition & Renovation

With a growing need to update their building with enhanced accessibility in mind, SSOE worked with Richland County School District Two on the renovations an additions of Richland Northeast High School.

Addressing Accessibility

The project scope focuses on updates to the cafeteria and auditorium lobby, auditorium ADA upgrades, connecting existing buildings with enclosed corridors, enclosing existing open egress stairs, ADA upgrades to provide access to Vocational Classrooms, and upgrades the existing courtyard and amphitheater.

Accommodating Different Learning Styles

Renovations will transform the classroom building to feature flexible, collaborative, and group spaces. These spaces will accommodate project-based learning and facilitate teaching for different learning styles.

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Continuing our partnership with the Anthony Wayne Local Schools district, SSOE transformed the priorities established during the master planning phase into design solutions across the district’s four campuses. The main campus, which includes Anthony Wayne High School, Anthony Wayne Junior High School, and Fallen Timbers Middle School, received overall facility improvements, upgraded security vestibules and visitor entries, a new high school office addition to make room for three new science rooms, and a media center addition at the junior high. The new high school auxiliary gym and cafeteria addition are adjacent to a new commons area that incorporates storefront windows that allow interior access to daylight. This space will be used by students daily as well as for public events.

The elementary schools also received upgrades. Monclova Elementary School received a new security vestibule and office addition, classroom modifications, and infrastructure improvements for energy efficiency. Waterville Elementary School upgrades included a new security vestibule / office renovation, new four-classroom addition for kindergarten students, and renovation of the daycare program’s office space. Whitehouse Elementary School received a new 70,000 SF facility on the same site as the existing elementary school. The architectural design included repurposing stone elements from the original building into the new facility to carry forward the community’s history. This facility also includes a storm shelter and new playground.

All upgrades focused on student and staff safety, including the site designs, which were updated for bus circulation, parent / visitor and student parking, and parent drop-off to reduce congestion and increase student safety. SSOE also worked closely with the district’s operations personnel to increase energy efficiency with the improvements.

Classroom designs included learning communities, active learning spaces with grade-specific media materials and collaborative areas for teachers and students. The science labs were designed and laid out for 21st-century teaching and learning. Existing education spaces were updated with new technology, and traditional classrooms were opened up into multipurpose student-centered learning spaces.

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When faced with the need for new elementary schools, Fremont City Schools selected the team of SSOE / Munger for design. The seven existing elementary schools will be demolished and consolidated onto the four existing sites of Atkinson, Croghan, Lutz, and Otis. Each new Pre-K through 5th grade building will be constructed while the existing elementary schools are occupied with classes. The new facilities will be 58,460 SF in size and were designed to meet LEED Silver certification requirements.

Led by SSOE, the four elementary projects have the exact same floor plan, with two of the schools mirrored on their sites to better facilitate parking and bus lanes. The duplication of floor plans provides each student in the district with the same experience, allows staff to transfer from one building to another easily, and provides ease for facility maintenance and First Responders. The designs are focused on student centered learning environments, with first through fifth grades each having their classrooms surrounded by a learning studio. Pre-K and Kindergarten areas are connected with internal doorways to enable team teaching and access within classroom areas. These spaces are sized to accommodate artistic, small group reading, and other early development learning. The studio will be utilized for shared learning, special activities, and house the students’ storage cubbies, freeing the classrooms for dedicated learning spaces.

Another key facility feature is the Learning Commons, positioned on the second level as an open extension of the corridor. This colorful area will provide students various options for learning and includes soft, tiered seating for group discussions or individual study, a teaming area with table top outlets for tablet / device charging, a Makerspace, active movement seating, in addition to books and other learning resources for the students. Services provided by SSOE for this project include project management, programming, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and construction administration. During the interviewing process, the SSOE team proposed an accelerated design schedule that allowed construction on the elementary schools to begin a year earlier than originally planned by the district. Construction is currently underway and the new elementary schools will be open for classes for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. This $58 million project is the single largest one-time project in the history of Sandusky County.

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The project consisted of phased demolition, renovation, and construction of a new 1600 student comprehensive high school complex to accommodate grades nine through twelve at the existing Columbia Central High School site location. Core elements are designed for an enrollment of 1800 students to allow for future expansion.

Being the only operational high school serving Columbia, TN, the Central High School project posed a unique challenge. The school needed to be replaced in place, while students remained in session during the entirety of construction activity. The existing main school buildings were demolished with the exception of the existing ROTC building / auxiliary gymnasium, the classroom building (1997 metal building), and the vocational building. The portable storage and classroom buildings were removed and the existing vocational building was renovated to accommodate the modified career-technical program (26,500 SF).

New construction consisted of a two-story building of approximately 147,265 SF for academic core and shared career-technical program. Auxiliary spaces, which include auditorium, cafeteria / kitchen, music program, and gymnasiums, were connected to the main academic building via corridor extension. The auxiliary portion of the new school complex is single level, totaling approximately 96,746 SF. Site design included separate drop-off areas for school buses and cars, walkways, pedestrian courtyards, landscaping, and off-street parking.

Design intent was to reference the original 1939 Central High School (traditional aesthetic). The main two-story academic building at the front of the site reflects this style through proportion and material selection. As you move around the building, technology and modern design become apparent, representing the future (use of metal panel and modern rectilinear profiles). The proposed design incorporated passive security measures through controlled entry / egress, controlled public access, limiting travel distances and visual observation.

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The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County Public Schools (MNPS) selected SSOE to lead the $20 million renovation of Stratford STEM High School, which can house up to 1200 full time students in grades 9-12. This school is a 236,653 SF building located on a 30 acre site. The site includes a baseball field, football field with a practice area, and ample parking.

MNPS’s goals for this project are for it to be an energy efficient, healthy environment for its students, and to be a high performance structure, both inside and out, with an achievement of LEED® Silver certification. The project was designed in Revit as a 3D model with a focus on a modern and functional learning environment, updating it from its late 1960’s design. MNPS sought a design that creates a warm and inviting setting that is open to the students and community, yet has a modern approach to a 21st Century Learning Environment. Openness and flexibility are maximized for current and future educational needs. The project was a complete renovation, including replacement of all mechanical and electrical systems, windows, finishes, alteration of the main entry, kitchen, band room, and the addition of a connecting corridor to the STEM area.

A few sustainable highlights of the project include the reuse of existing walls, floors, and roof, the incorporation of recycled and regional construction materials, water efficient landscaping, water use reduction, and optimized energy performance. In addition, the facility earned credit for developing density and community connectivity, having options for alternative transportation, such as access to public transportation, bicycle storage racks, and changing rooms, as well as designated parking for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles. The renovation was awarded LEED Silver certification.

SSOE provided LEED consulting, architectural design, interior design, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering services.

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The new Maplewood Elementary School replaces a 1920s, three story K-5 facility that was in deteriorating condition, lacked accessibility, was undersized in total, and was expensive to maintain and operate. It’s presence in the community and the neighborhood closely knit around it, was going to be truly missed in terms of its scale and articulated historical design. The new facility had to fill this void and replace it with a new presence, twice the size, that still respected scale, community, and function along with being highly efficient in terms of energy costs and operation.

This criteria influenced a very efficient heating and cooling system, incorporating a field of geothermal wells under the sport fields in conjunction with a high level of individual control at the heat pumps serving the individual classrooms and spaces throughout the building. All classrooms and occupied spaces were provided with daylight views. Advantage was taken of south- faced glazing for maximizing daylighting in these classrooms with automated control of artificial light. The extensive list of valued added sustainable features is noted below.

The building aesthetically drew upon the cues from the community and the existing building. Elements included rebuilding stone pineapple reliefs replicated from the old building and incorporation of colors and materials from the original.

Sustainable Value Based Design

  • High efficiency lighting system and integrated daylight control
  • Daylight/views from all occupiable spacers
  • Operable windows
  • Anti-microbial finishes and low VOC materials and sustainable floor finishes
  • Sustainable site concepts with storm water control/detention systems
  • Geothermal well field with locally controlled heat pump zones
  • White membrane/reflective roof surface
  • Durable low maintenance finishes
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Two-Story Addition & Expansion

SSOE, in association with local WBE firm, Red Iron Architects, worked on the additions and renovations to Stratford High School. The project entails a two-story addition and cafeteria expansion (with space for up to 695 additional students) with 10 classrooms, a COPE classroom, Sports Medicine Lab, and a state-of-the-art Culinary Arts Kitchen. In addition to new classrooms and a sports medicine lab, programming also called for the demolition and narrative repairs to address seismic concerns and life safety analysis specific to the area.

Flexible & Economical Designs

Flexible and economical designs were used throughout the project – one that included an expanded program for a new lobby area for special events and potential after hour use, features incorporated without increasing the construction budget.

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Large Flexible Space

The design of the Lighthouse, Shandon Baptist’s new student center is based on a single-story structure that features a large flexible space for a variety of activities all located near the University of South Carolina campus.

Significant Changes

The structure is pulled forward on the site, similar to neighboring buildings in the community, with hidden parking located at the rear of the property. A significant change in grade is negotiated via a series of ramps and terraced patios, all complying with ADA requirements.

The character of the building is a landscape hugging structure with wide overhangs and a hipped roof. Brick veneer and siding complete the palette of “warm” materials.

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Dining Hall Re-Design

The Lovett Dining Hall, originally built in 1960, hosts over 1,500 K-12 students each day. The original design hosted a circle-serve cafeteria line.

Fresh Sophisticated Space

The new design creates a fresh, sophisticated space by removing the circle-serve and designing a new modern serving line is more efficient and provides a variety of food selections.

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