FACILITIES
Innovative Strategies to Optimize Value
By Tanner Backman Extending
the reach of the school facility and magnifying its value.
T
he value a school facility offers to the surrounding community is critical. Is the location central to optimal community use? Does the structure complement nearby buildings? Does it provide services that everyone can use, such as a community center, library, and recreational facilities?
Creative project teams can optimize the value of the school facility for students and the community by designing it into the flow of the community. They can often make a new building seem like a long-standing part of the community.
That was the approach project team lead- ers used to optimize Pelham Park Middle School in Pelham, Alabama, which serves 800 students in grades six to eight. Here are the challenges and insights the award- winning facility offers.
Design Challenges
The first design challenge for school facilities is to plan a rightsized facility that can accommodate the current student population while accurately anticipating future growth.
Security is another growing concern with school projects. They must include infra- structure to control and monitor everyone entering and exiting the building throughout the day—protocols that can be costly to implement.
Architecture and design are great oppor- tunities to integrate the new project with the surrounding community. Encapsulating the spirit of the community means designing the building in a language that speaks to the community’s traditions while also creating energy. Capturing the essence is essential for a public building like a school that acts as a
At night, Pelham Park Middle School’s atrium is fully illuminated and serves as a beacon for the community.
38 JULY/AUGUST 2021 | SCHOOL BUSINESS AFFAIRS
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