School of the Future
by Jonathan McGaha | January 1, 2013 12:00 am
When the Columbus, Miss.-based Columbus Public School System decided a new middle school was needed, they turned to local architects Pryor and Morrow, Columbus, and to Ceco Building Systems, Columbus, to provide a “school of the future” that will remain virtually timeless for an extended useful lifespan.
Renovating two existing buildings proved too costly, and the issues of inefficient, old-style school buildings would remain, according to school Superintendent Del Phillips. It was then decided to build a new facility to house the three grades.
The 150,515-square-foot clear span project comprises seven buildings radiating from a rotunda “hub”: a gym/cafeteria, sixth-grade wing, seventhgrade wing, eighth-grade wing, band hall, administration, auditorium and library.
The principal can stand in the rotunda and see down every hallway to monitor the school. This is a good use of a custom-designed metal building … It’s very attractive and has an abundance of high-end finishes-very high-tech.
The new Columbus Middle School is an exciting environment for students and faculty alike. It features incredible security systems, wireless Internet throughout the building and online, interactive “chalkboards,” as well as modular furniture and a color scheme that creates a comfortable mood conducive to learning.
“The building is very functional,” explains Phillips. “It was built with teaching and learning in mind, and integrates new technology into the daily activities in every classroom.”
According to Phillips, each of the new classrooms has its own Promethean board, a type of interactive whiteboard that accesses the Internet and has become the primary teaching tool for the Columbus Middle School teacher.
Other unique areas in the new school include a “Barnes and Noble-type” library with hardwood floors and cushioned furniture, a gym with its own weight room, 150 combination lockers and a door that opens directly onto the practice field, and a cafeteria that resembles a shopping mall food court.
Standard trims were modified to incorporate other materials like glass-reinforced concrete. Space allocation for columns and frames were a challenge according to Morrow, but he explains that early and continual coordination with Ceco made this a smoother process during construction. The roof consists of standing seam Battenlok panels by Ceco in Bronze. A brick veneer covers most of the facility’s exterior walls.
“The owner requested a metal roof,” comments Morrow. “We have had positive past experience with Ceco roofing projects, plus they were a local company.”
This beautiful new school is an excellent example of how architects and municipalities across the country are realizing how metal is the most economic, aesthetic choice for school districts. Timeliness in construction is another factor that makes metal building systems the ideal choice for schools. Morrow comments that erecting the roof and its system separately from the wall system was an added bonus.
The students have taken to their new learning environment positively. “They have responded to it very well,” Phillips explains. “They love it.”
Roger Burlingame is the president of Ceco Building Systems, a division of NCI Building Systems, Columbus, Miss. For more information, visit www.cecobuildings.com.
Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/articles/school-of-the-future/