Last evening, the Belpre City School District Board of Education approved the Schematic Design phase of the project, and the district is now officially moving into Design Development.
The purpose of the Schematic Design phase was to establish a macro-level understanding of the new building: what it will look like, where it will be situated, and the general layout of the interior floor plan. Before refining those details, representatives from Belpre City Schools, Fanning Howey, and Partnerships for Authentic Learning and Leadership conducted focus groups and facilitated conversations to identify the building’s core design implications. After extensive collaboration, the following foundational attributes were adopted:
From safety and belonging—the foundation of any building that will serve children—to environments that flex with purpose, these attributes will guide decision-making as the project moves forward.
How these elements will take shape will vary across grade-level groups along a continuum from traditional to transformational learning environments.
In the lower grades, academic spaces will feature a more traditional configuration—similar to the classrooms many of us experienced growing up. Middle school students will learn in a more transitional design, where traditional classrooms are supported by pull-out spaces and collaborative learning areas. At the high school level, the design will be more transformational, combining traditional academic classrooms with expanded collaborative and group spaces for students.
It is important that the spaces students use reflect the kinds of environments they will encounter when they enroll, enlist, or become employed after graduation.
We are still hard at work designing both the interior and exterior of the building, but we are excited to share a draft rendering of the media center space on the back side. This rendering provides a glimpse into the color palette and design direction currently under consideration:
We will have much more to share in the weeks ahead. The next phase, Design Development, is all about detail. Questions such as these are now taking center stage:
What color will the floors be?
What type of light fixtures will be used?
What kinds of door hardware will be installed?
What will the performing arts space look like?
These are just some of the many details currently being considered as we continue making steady progress on the project.