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Marist School

Upper School Expansion & Renovation

the story

Innovative classroom and breakout spaces, give teachers tools for educating students in ways they did not have before. Academic wings are divided into neighborhoods of three to four classrooms, with collaborative areas as their focus to help foster team-based learning.

Flexible spaces and furniture allow multiple configurations. A movable teacher’s podium encourages dynamic presentations and canted walls optimize view angles, also creating the opportunity to utilize typically ‘dead’ corners for AV equipment. 6’ wide pivoting doors engage the classrooms with the adjacent multi-function breakout and collaboration areas.

at-a-glance

TYPE:
Expansion & Renovation
PRACTICE:
Architecture
LOCATION:
Atlanta, GA
STATUS:
Completed May 2014
SIZE:
55,000 SF Academic/Athletics; 80,000 SF Renovation
INSIGHT

After five decades of building inwardly focused buildings with both limited openness and connection to their surroundings, the School desired a more extroverted and transparent building for its new facility, expressing the School’s missions of community service and respect for the environment as part of its development of a well-rounded student.

SOLUTION

To fulfill the promise of creating a new-century learning environment that prepares students for a changing world, the design team crafted learning spaces that promote collaboration while supporting a variety of learning styles.

IMPACT

The resulting project is the complete renovation of the existing three-story, 80,000-SF academic building and the construction of the new Ivy Street Center, a three-story, 55,000-SF, eco-friendly, truly multidisciplinary facility.

Beyond the building, features include a more walkable campus inviting foot traffic, outdoor breakout spaces, a rain garden clearly emphasizing sustainability, and entryways that also encourage collaboration while providing display for learning-focused exhibits.

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There has been a significant savings on electrical bills because of the ability for the classroom lights to remain “off” the majority of the time.

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Sustainable materials used include reclaimed elm wall panels.

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3,400 gallons of water are recycled from rainwater and the HVAC system.

Project Contact

related projects

[case study]
The Frederick Gunn School
Washington, CT