Studio Education

Teach them how to fish and you will feed them for a lifetime.

Education has never been more exciting and yet never more challenging for students, educators and administrators. Designing space conducive to teaching, stimulating to learning, and affordable to build has never been more important.

What makes a child or adolescent comfortable in their environment, open to new ideas and anxious to be challenged? What allows them to be confident they will succeed? How can an environment help their teacher connect with them stimulating their learning and growth?

We believe the built environment can be supportive, making them more comfortable with this new adventure in life. The architecture they experience must lace the socialization of his past with the opportunities of their future. The goal of our effort is to simplify the learning environment, create a familiar sense of place, and allow the teachers and students to perform their magic.

Architecture, Inc. specializes in educational and institutional facilities design. We have completed over 29 Pre–K through 12 schools for both renovation/addition and new construction projects. We have extensive educational experience including:

• New School Design
• Extensive Renovations and Additions to existing facilities
• Classrooms
• Media Centers
• Gymnasiums
• Office & Support Spaces
• Kitchens
• Annual Contracts with Local Jurisdictions
• Feasibility studies/Reviews
• Site Development and Grounds Work
• Cabling & “Technology in the Classroom”
• ADA-Accessible Buildings
• HVAC, Electrical & Plumbing Systems
  

Some of our repeat clients include Arlington Public Schools, Prince William County Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools and Broward County Public Schools.

 

Arlington Science Focus
Arlington, VA

Established in 1995, the Science Focus School integrated science as a part of all disciplines–language arts, mathematics, social studies, and the fine arts. A feature program of this school was “Discovery Lane”, a K–12 science program which helped to stimulate the young minds of our future scientists. The project included the addition of 23,000 square feet of new space that housed a new Media Center, Gymnasium, Classrooms and an Art room. A major element of the addition was the clerestory entrance with a space frame roof structure, allowing natural light into the new Lobby vibrantly demonstrating the physics of the structure. The existing school was renovated providing new mechanical, electrical, and life safety systems. In addition to the new main entrance, the school has upgraded finishes, new casework, ADA accessibility, a new full cooking kitchen and an enlarged Administrative suite.

Claremont Elementary School
Arlington, VA

This 35,600 square feet addition included a new gym, new main lobby, new media center and 27 new classrooms. The additions were in three different locations around the existing facility, including both single–story and two–story structures. The modified and renovated area encompassed 4,000 square feet of the existing facilities’ 45,000 square feet. Many of the renovated areas were reworked to house different school functions allowing better security of the entrance, additions to become more cohesive elements of the facility and improving functionality of facility as a whole.

Lorton Station Elementary School
Woodbridge, VA

Lorton Station Elementary School was the fourth site adaptation of a prototype Elementary School designed for Fairfax County Public Schools. Designed for 950 students, the school was highlighted by a 101,000 square feet plan that separated the building into a quiet zone (Administration, Media Center); Education zone (classrooms) and the noisy zone (Gymnasium, Cafeteria). The grand front entrance was architecturally highlighted by a barrel vaulted metal roof assembly. From the entrance, a central corridor acted as a backbone to the school circulation, further emphasizing the three zones. The school has 36 classrooms for a K–6 grade curriculum and featured multiple spaces for varied size groups.

West Potomac High School
Alexandria, VA

West Potomac High School was a five–phase addition and renovation project completed over four years. The project scope included a complete renovation of 337,000 square feet of existing facilities and the addition of 54,000 square feet. All educational program spaces have been evaluated for conformance with today’s standards; Technology in the classroom has been expanded and enhanced by a fiber-optic network; The Library was converted into a modern Media Center that established a focal point for the school; All interior finishes were renovated and the school brought up to current ADA standards. The mechanical systems have been replaced with modern, energy efficient systems, and new water-saver type fixtures replace the existing plumbing fixtures.

Sargent Shriver
Silver Spring, Maryland

The Sargent Shriver project included the reopening of an existing 45,000 square foot elementary school to accommodate growing student enrollments. The existing building was comprehensively renovated and incorporated a new kitchen, new administration area and updated classrooms to meet current educational standards. A new media center and multipurpose room were added to the building foot print. This well placed addition connected two existing building wings and provided much improved circulation through the existing facility. A new main entrance was added providing a logical connection point between the kiss and ride student drop-off area and bus drop-off area. The new main entrance gave the school a prominent identity with a translucent canopy and a glass–encased main lobby. The single entrance point provides good visibility from the administration area and a secure buffer for the school’s main corridors. A two–story addition was added to the facility’s existing split level area. The project also included areas of addition for a County daycare facility, a gymnasium and six additional classrooms, creating a total facility of 90,000 square feet. Automobile circulation was improved by providing an autonomous bus entrance and creating a new vehicle entrance to access the parking lot as well as the kiss and ride student drop-off area. Accessibility upgrades were made throughout the facility including replacement of doors and hardware, modernization of toilet rooms, and classroom improvements.

W.T. Woodson High School
Fairfax, Virginia

The project consisted of a comprehensive renovation to the 360,000 square foot school and additions totaling 103,900 square feet. Additions include Fairfax County Public School’s largest auditorium, capable of seating all 2,000 of the school’s students, as well as a new science wing, weight room, administrative wing, gymnastics dance studio and locker rooms. The additions along the front façade are punctuated with brick, precast and glass on a grand scale to pronounce the main and secondary entries and primary public venues. Existing play fields, stadium and multiple press boxes will all be renovated and/or constructed new. Automobile circulation will be renovated to better accommodate the multitude of student drivers, parents and users with a comprehensive master plan for the campus. All portions of the school shall be renovated including the Media Center, two Gymnasiums, Cafeterias and an Adult Education Center. All mechanical, electrical and sprinkler systems will be upgraded as well during the complex, 36–month phasing of the project. 

Lanier Middle School
Fairfax City, Virginia

Lanier Middle School is an existing 850 student school that currently houses 1000 students. It totals 117,000 square feet existing. Our scope is to create an environment that will actually allow the school to team teach in “houses” and expand the school to an anticipated capacity of 1,125. 

We will be adding 70,000 square feet of additions split between Administration, Media Center, an Education addition of Music and a new Gymnasium. Along with the additions we will be renovating the existing facility providing new casework, doors and hardware, lockers, windows, roof, etc.

The infrastructure of the building is being replaced also utilizing a new 277/480 volt electrical system; a 4 pipe mechanical system; fully sprinklering the building and providing a new fire alarm system.

Northern Virginia Community College
New Classroom Building Design
Woodbridge, Virginia

A 12,000 square foot facility to be located adjacent to the existing 34,396 square foot campus book store. The lab building will house fully functioning HVAC equipment for training and the classroom building will house the teaching classrooms as well. In addition, the facility and its surrounding courtyard serves as the pre–and post– class meeting space and lounge area.