Awards: Grand Prize > Citation Awards > Honorable Mentions

MIDDLE/INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS

Central Middle School - Prakash Patel

Perkins+Will, Chicago, and CSO Architects, Indianapolis, IN, received a Citation of Excellence for Central Middle School, Columbus, IN. The school, in conjunction with a neighboring elementary school, forms a new urban educational park in Columbus. The plan is organized in an L shape, with classrooms in one wing and shared facilities, such as the gymnasium and library, in the other. The classroom wing is broken into eight learning clusters on one side and specialized science and arts classrooms on the other. At the junction of these two wings is a two-story commons area that opens to a U-shaped courtyard. “This is a fine example of a high-quality school that’s beautifully detailed and designed,” judges lauded.

Manassas Park Middle School - Steinkamp Photography

VMDO Architects, PC, Charlottesville, VA, received a Citation of Excellence for Manassas Park Middle School in Manassas Park, VA. Judges called the school’s site plan one of the best-developed plans they’ve seen. “It’s a small site that is very well articulated and designed.” The 40-acre site coordinates with the adjacent high school and features a library at the head of the lawn, giving it a regional, Jeffersonian feel. The common area, located in the heart of the building, also earned high marks for its scale and “non-disruptive” design. Judges were impressed with the multi-level building’s abundant daylight as well as its “elegant detailing” and open space, and they praised the building as a “demonstration of how school design can transform the community.”

HIGH SCHOOLS

Cayman Islands Ministry of Education - OWP/P

Judges awarded Chicago-based OWP/P a Citation of Excellence for Cayman Islands Ministry of Education—New High School Campuses, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. The design team developed a concept for Cayman’s three high schools that emphasizes breakout spaces rather than classrooms. Judges praised the innovative design, noting “a great relationship between inside and outside, and daylight” on the campus. Moreover, each of the three schools features autonomous academy buildings for grades 6-11 and shares a global learning center, performance building, and a design and technology building with each other and the community.

HMFH Architects, Inc., Cambridge, MA, received a Citation of Excellence for Everett High School in Everett, MA, for the building’s “brilliant” use of space, given the school’s inner suburban setting. The designers “deserve kudos for packing so much into such a small space,” judges noted. The six-story building is built into the side of a hill on a small parcel of parkland bordering a residential neighborhood. The school’s “striking, but appropriate, elevations”include specialized learning areas: shops for carpentry, electrical, and machine work as well as areas for digital photography, video production, and culinary arts instruction. “This is a school that honors its students and gives them the space they deserve,” judges said.

Everett High School - Anton Grassl/ESTO

COMBINED-LEVEL SCHOOL

Grosse Pointe Academy - John Greilick

Fanning/Howey Associates, Inc., Novi, MI, earned a Citation of Excellence for Grosse Pointe Academy in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI. Leaning By Design judges hailed the school as “the best of all the renovation projects” received in this year’s competition. Designers wanted to create a modern learning environment within the 78-year-old historic building. Classrooms were expanded back to their original model, adding approximately 200 to 250 square feet to the rooms, and the auditorium was transformed into a classic library featuring a barrel-vaulted ceiling and restored ornamental wooden arches and paneling. Windows and doors throughout the building also were restored, as well as original Welsh tile in the main lobby. “It’s a beautiful building brought back to what it should be,” judges added.

COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES

Jackson Community College Information and Technology Center - Justin Maconochie

Judges awarded the SHW Group of Berkley, MI, a Citation of Excellence for Jackson Community College Information and Technology Center, Jackson, MI, calling it an “illustration of the type of building that community colleges really need to do.” This library/learning resources center serves as a “beacon” to the campus community. Its transparent design invites visitors to use the facility and offers them plenty of seating throughout the building to comfortably gather. When selecting materials, designers took cues from many of the original buildings, using brick, glass, and wood, but expressing them in a more contemporary manner.

Johnson County Community College - MSpillers

Gould Evans, Kansas City, was awarded a Citation of Excellence for Johnson County Community College—Regnier Center for Technology and Business in Overland Park, KS. Rather than inspiring a high-tech feel, this “attractive and innovative” facility cultivates strong connections to the environment through its use of natural materials, such as limestone and wood, and through its optimization of daylight. Moreover, the technology and artscomplex takes advantage of green building initiatives such as low-flow plumbing fixtures and recycled content materials, and the underground parking increases available green space on campus. “It’s a refreshing improvement to the usual stale building models we see for community colleges,” said judges.

The Ohio State University - Brad Feinknoph, Feinknoph Photography

Columbus, Ohio-based Moody·Nolan, Inc. received a Citation of Excellence for The Ohio State University—Recreation and Physical Activity Center, Columbus, OH. Judges praised the designers for their use of space: The nearly four-block-long facility was broken down into four smaller elements that could fit into the context of its central campus location. Each of the units is interconnected by either underground passageways or above-ground bridges. The exterior of the facility is made of concrete, stainless steel, and glass, and interior public spaces are finished with durable materials including terrazzo floors. “The building has very good light and fabulous transparency,” said judges. “It’s a place for students to observe and be observed.”