PO R T F O L I O K-12/DESIGN EXCELLENCE
PARTNER. DISCOVER. TRANSFORM. "Together we discover, inspire, and shape ideas that transform our world." We begin with partnership. Great ideas come from collaboration. Our approach crosses disciplines to inspire innovation. Our process advances communities through discovery and design. We believe ideas have the power to transform.
F I R M P ROF I L E Partner. Discover. Transform. These three ideals are at the core of our culture and form the foundation from which we deliver successful, meaningful spaces. Through a process forged over nearly a century of design practice, we inquire, challenge, and collaborate across disciplines to discover ideas that solve real problems. Our transdisciplinary teams partner with our clients to advance communities with innovative, sustainable solutions. Today, our firm of more than 400 professionals delivers solutions for architecture, engineering, planning, interior design, and landscape architecture. Our expertise encompasses educational, institutional, research, healthcare, industrial, commercial, and public work for local and national clients. Through in-house staff we are able to assist our clients with: »»
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Renderings, Models, Computer/Video Presentations
1920
10
Year Clark Nexsen was formed
Office locations
21 ST C E N T U RY LEARN I N G Today’s students need both basic knowledge and applied skills to be prepared for the jobs of the future. With the focus on developing 21st century workforce skills, our efforts strive to provide today’s youth with more than basic knowledge content. In addition to information gain, students must acquire critical thinking and communication skills, be able to work collaboratively with others, and be able to solve problems with creativity and innovation. The facilities we provide must be safe environments that support student engagement and be flexible enough to accommodate future innovations in technology, while at the same time responding to differentiated learning styles. In addition, our schools are part of the fabric of our community, and the facilities we design must support not only the students and teachers, but also the greater community as a whole.
D ESI G N E XC E LLEN C E Clark Nexsen has been honored with nearly 300 design awards in the last 20 years, including 98 AIA design awards on the local, state, regional, and national levels. In 2018, we were ranked 20th on Architect magazine's ARCHITECT 50 list of top design firms in the nation. Clark Nexsen is also ranked in Building Design + Construction’s Engineering/Architect Giants Top 20 and in Engineering News-Record’s Top 150. We strive to deliver professional services of the highest quality to our clients and to approach each project unencumbered by preconceptions. Our firm is not about developing a signature style. Through the process of studied investigation and dialogue, we develop an understanding of our clients, their priorities, and aspirations. We couple this understanding with a focused response to issues such as site and program, project schedule and budget, environmental sustainability, architectural image, and appropriateness to the larger physical context. Through this process, we develop design solutions that capture the unique personality and identity of each project we undertake.
SUSTA I N A B L E DESI G N We recognize sustainable design isn’t just about LEED for buildings. Sustainability and green design must positively impact long-term environmental, economic, and social roots. As a multi-discipline architecture, engineering, and planning firm, Clark Nexsen offers a holistic, collaborative, solutions-oriented design approach that addresses integral systems, structures, and finishes of a project - and environmental, economic, and social impacts. In addition to the LEED Rating System, our staff is also familiar with Green Globes, Energy Star, the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure’s Envision tool, and other mechanisms for designing sustainable outcomes. In the building design and construction industry, the U.S. Green Building Council has been a leader in the sustainability movement. The Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System defines, quantifies, and verifies sustainable design practices as it relates to buildings and their sites. The company is an active national member of USGBC, as well as local chapters. Clark Nexsen also formally adopted the "2030 Challenge," which states that all new buildings, developments, and major renovations will be carbon-neutral by 2030. This starts today by designing buildings to meet an energy consumption performance standard of 70 percent below the regional or national average.
87
100+
LEED certified projects complete
Projects are LEED certified, pending certification, or selfvalidated
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To succeed in today’s workplace, young people need more than basic reading and math skills. They need substantial content knowledge and information technology skills; advanced thinking skills; flexibility to adapt to change; and interpersonal skills to succeed in multicultural, cross functional teams.” - J. Willard Marriott, Jr. CEO of Marriott International
SELECT EXPERTISE
ABBOTTS CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Raleigh, NC Abbotts Creek Elementary School is the thirteenth use of the Wake County Public School System prototype design. Core areas have expanded to serve 900 students, with an 800 student classroom population in 112,495 SF of space. This particular building was placed on a landfill borrow site with an EMS station, a community center, and a county park. A future skate park is also planned for the site. The joint use of the site allows taxpayer savings through sharing fields and amenities between the different local cities and county school system. The scale of the building and the choice of building materials is compatible with the existing community and the neighborhood buildings. The building has a common use area with media center, dining and physical education activities, administrative
area, and specialized classrooms such as art and music, which are shared by all students and can be used by the community, while securing the remainder of the school. The building envelope was modified to also meet the requirements of a changing, more restrictive energy code. The building is arranged so that bus riders can be segregated from car pool students, which allows for a better vehicular site flow at drop-off and pick up times, resulting in greater safety for students. Inside the building, the spaces are full of color and natural light, creating an environment which supports learning, and makes school an enjoyable place to be. The rooms are spacious enough to allow movement for those students who need activity to learn, as well as space for students to be “alone� for quiet study.
EDNEYVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Hendersonville, NC Our design team completed a thorough assessment of the existing school facilities and found significant deficiencies in both quality and quantity of space and alignment with their new mission. Issues with accessibility, building security, roof drainage, small classrooms, and an inadequate number of classrooms, conference, and office spaces. The Henderson County Board of Education determined that a new facility should be built on this site. Construction must happen while the existing facility remains occupied. The design team held a community meeting to help define a vision and develop a strategy for replacement of the facility. Stakeholders were challenged to think about what was valuable about their school community and how these values could be carried forth into the new facility. Many stakeholders feel the school serves as
a center for the Edneyville community and these strong connections to the school’s history and rural character should be maintained, while creating a 21st century learning environment for the students. Many ideas were presented, but a repeated theme developed during the work session that the new facility should maintain a strong connection to the site. After looking at several options, our team determined that the new facility should be placed just west of the existing facility with all grade level classrooms having views to the west out to the lake and the mountains beyond. To accommodate this, a plan was developed with a circulation spine along an arc of a circle with all general classrooms located on the west side of the corridor, while common and support spaces are located on the east or arrival side of the circulation spine.
LAUREL PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ADAPTIVE REUSE Cary, NC Laurel Park Elementary School is a new 900-student school crafted from a renovation of an existing pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Cary, NC. The existing structure was completely gutted leaving only the structural frame, exterior walls with metal panels, roof systems, cooling tower, and boiler. While there were very few existing windows and doors, all were removed and recycled. The lower section of metal panels were removed and used to patch areas of the existing facades that were damaged. This section was replaced with cement panels for durability purposes. New windows were located to provide for optimal daylighting in the classrooms and offices. Car and bus canopies were added to indicate main access to and from the school. A new second
floor level was fitted inside the warehouse sized spaces. New interior walls, doors, glazing, and finishes were added. The existing building was not ideal for classroom layout which resulted in a somewhat confusing circulation pattern. Classrooms line the perimeter of the exterior while group spaces (library, multipurpose, dining) occupy the center of the school. The resultant “leftover� space provided for two circulation paths, a primary route that cuts through the main group spaces and a more circuitous route with access to classrooms. Color was used to orient users to the primary and secondary circulation paths, while new and existing skylights allowed natural light to penetrate into the group spaces in the heart of the school.
CAROLINA DAY LOWER SCHOOL RENOVATION & ADDITION Asheville, NC The Lower School at Carolina Day serves first through fifth graders in an inquiry-based learning environment, focused on supporting student growth and providing problem solving opportunities. Prior to its renovation and addition, the Lower School faced several key challenges: lack of a clear entrance and wayfinding; lack of flexibility within instructional spaces; the need for additional space; and outdated building systems and technology. Our designers worked with school representatives to create a solution that responded to their needs, enhanced indooroutdoor connectivity, and positioned the school to meet changing trends in K-12 education. The resulting renovation and addition has formed a facility that instructs by design and provides light-filled, engaging spaces for students, teachers, and staff. With the Lower School serving as the
primary entrance for Carolina Day, the need to establish a prominent entrance and enhance school security was of particular importance. Complementing the existing facility, a 6,500 square foot addition establishes a new face for the school while housing administrative offices and a multipurpose library space. This addition significantly improves wayfinding for visitors and facilitates efficient use of space, enabling the original structure to be fully repurposed as functional classroom space. The addition also completes the enclosure of the existing courtyard, creating a gathering space and play area while enhancing campus security. With the inclusion of many multipurpose features, virtually every space in the building can adapt to new needs and purposes, effectively positioning Carolina Day School for future growth and the impact of changing educational trends.
FUQUAY-VARINA MIDDLE SCHOOL RENOVATION & ADDITION Fuquay-Varina, NC The Fuquay-Varina Middle School campus is located on an urban site just two blocks from the downtown area. Composed of buildings of varying ages and styles, placed loosely around an internal courtyard and pushed to the street, several challenges faced the administration. The existing main building of the school served many generations of Fuquay-Varina students, first as a high school, and later as the anchor to the middle school campus. It has great cultural significance to the community. Additional existing buildings, which were not adequate for current curriculum delivery methods, did not meet accessibility or fire codes and needed to be replaced. The existing grades across the length of the site presented many accessibility obstacles, and keeping the buildings clean was also difficult as students must go outside to change classes. It was ultimately determined that the exterior skin of the main building should be retained to maintain the
community’s emotional ties. However, the interior of the original structure was completely renovated to provide new administrative, team, and student support services areas. This particular component of the renovation also created a new main entrance to the school. Our design solution also included a new building to enclose the open-ended courtyard, providing accessible routes throughout the campus and linking several of the remaining buildings to improve the ability to maintain the school. The existing courtyard is mostly paved to provide active student spaces in a new amphitheater and informal outside instructional areas. The new organization of the campus allows for separate parent and bus drop off areas, creating much safer student access to the site.
ASHEVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL Asheville, NC Clark Nexsen was selected to provide design services for a new facility for Asheville Middle School on the existing middle school site. During advanced planning, the program was developed through a series of meetings and workshops held by the design team with the Asheville City School and Asheville Middle School administrations, as well as the affiliated faculty, students, and community user groups. This collaboration served to verify their current and future needs. The program is designed for a 1,000-student capacity, anticipating future growth. Asheville
City Schools does not have an off-site location for the middle school while a new building is under construction. The existing middle school and outdoor athletic facilities will remain operational and secure during construction. The design team recommended that the project be split into two phases to maintain the existing school during construction of the new building. Phase I consists of the new school building pad and structure, while Phase II includes existing building demolition, parking and circulation, and green space improvements.
INNOVATIVE HIGH SCHOOL Flat Rock, NC As public school systems across the nation strive to improve retention, graduation rates, and student success long term, Henderson County’s Innovative High School represents a shared vision to provide greater opportunities to their students. This groundbreaking new facility is located on the Blue Ridge Community College campus and houses two innovative schools, Early College High School and the Career Academy. Reflective of a highly effective partnership between Henderson County Public Schools, BRCC, the design and contracting team, and a number of other parties, the building is celebrated as ushering in a new way of thinking about high school education. Early College High School offers students the unique opportunity to graduate from high school having earned up to two years of college credit – tuition free. This five year high
school program has been identified by NC New Schools as a School of Innovation and Excellence, and it boasts a 100 percent graduation rate over the last three years. Additionally, 51 percent of those graduates are the first in their families to attend college. The Career Academy offers students career training in mechatronics, firefighting, and the ProStart Culinary Program – preparing them for immediate employment or higher education pursuits. The Academy’s impact has been dramatic, with a 58 percent increase in graduation rate and an increase in the number of graduates who have earned college credit. With BRCC’s mechatronics program located right next door, these students also have the opportunity to seamlessly continue their studies in a familiar environment.
HENDERSONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL Hendersonville, NC History fills the hallways of Hendersonville High School (HHS). Built in 1925, generations of the surrounding community have attended the school. Clark Nexsen is designing a new high school upon the tradition of HHS, while providing 21st century learning environments for the Hendersonville community, all on the existing high school location.
A community gateway, recessed from the road, opening to green space and landscaping (where once there were parking lots), the new campus is prominently featured along Asheville Highway. The new classroom building wraps the site and interior classrooms are daylit from a courtyard. Arts and athletic elements form an exterior courtyard which frames student entry while connecting to the Stillwell The high school’s site is urban and smaller than that recommended by the building, forming a cohesive campus. The new gym anchors the existing NC Department of Public Instruction. football field, becoming a symbol of Design priorities include retaining athletic fields and the historic Stillwell “Bearcat” pride. auditorium, further reducing buildable area. Additionally, phasing is not an option due to scheduling and budget. Locating the building and providing required adjacencies with existing buildings, while holistically repurposing the entire site is paramount.
CARY HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATION & ADDITIONS Cary, NC
The Cary High School campus consisted of a mixture of one-story, double-loaded corridor classroom buildings, with a few larger common buildings such as the auditorium, the gymnasium, and the auxiliary gymnasium. The classroom buildings presented numerous problems due to current code compliance failure and not meeting the WCPSS’s educational specification requirements for high school teaching spaces. There were many issues with the stability of the existing structures and the site was also small for a high school site with insufficient space for all the program needs. The biggest concern noted by the staff was that the many free-standing buildings with multiple entrance points created significant security and control issues for the school.
Clark Nexsen completed a thorough analysis of all the campus buildings. We determined that the cost of renovation to comply with current educational standards and building codes exceeded the replacement cost of the building. The design team developed a master plan showing a phased replacement of all buildings with the exception of the existing gymnasium and the auxiliary gym. Phase I included construction of a new auditorium and athletic facilities. The existing auxiliary gym was renovated to become new arts classrooms to support a new auditorium. Phase II included a new classroom building. The main floor houses career and technical education spaces, and the upper floors house general and science classroom spaces.
LIGON GT MAGNET MIDDLE SCHOOL RENOVATION & ADDITION Raleigh, NC
Ligon GT Magnet Middle School is located in downtown Raleigh, adjacent to Chavis Heights Park. Rich in historical significance, it was built as the school for African-Americans and used as such until desegregation in 1971. Since then, it has served as a junior high and presently a magnet middle school for the performing arts, maintaining a strong presence in the surrounding community. The Ligon project scope stressed the need for improvements in all areas of music, dance, and art classrooms. Ligon boasts one of the largest auditoriums in the school system. New construction is located on the east and west sides of the existing auditorium. On the west side, stacked technology education and health classrooms anchor a new two-story lobby space that creates an entry for nighttime performances while linking the main building and auditorium to the gymnasium structure. This new
entrance serves as the public entry into the building and the lobby serves as a backdrop to the new bus loop; bridging the gap between the school and the Chavis Heights community. New construction on the east side adds orchestra and dance classrooms, creating a double-loaded corridor at the rear of the stage, and provides new access to the existing band and chorus classrooms. These two classrooms, along with several other classroom areas, received extensive renovation. The renovation included upgrades to finishes, plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems, and technology. Other areas of renovation included the gymnasium and locker rooms and a new self-contained classroom suite located in the existing art classroom. The existing shop building is slated for demolition post construction. The courtyard between the auditorium and gymnasium was designed as a functional amphitheater.
APEX HIGH SCHOOL Apex, NC
The Apex High School renovation design will reflect and respond to an existing population of students, faculty, staff, and surrounding community members. After the initial assessment of the existing facility’s physical condition, the design team and WCPSS worked with various stakeholders to identify core values and guiding principles to inform the design. A broad visioning session and a more focused programming session was conducted to identify key planning and design goals to be referenced throughout the design process. Clark Nexsen endeavors to create a welcoming environment that improves community pride and embraces school and community history. With the WCPSS Vision 2020 guidelines in mind, the renovated Apex High School will create a flexible, interactive learning environment that supports
and strengthens the existing programs while providing additional opportunities for collaboration. With strong programs in culinary science, agricultural technology, automotive technology, and carpentry, students have the opportunity to learn real world skills and participate in apprentice programs. Apex is also the home of the Academy of Information Technology (AOIT) which is a small, focused learning community within the high school. The curriculum focuses on applications, web development, and computer programming. This program offers rigorous courses, interdisciplinary approaches to STEM education, and work-place based professional training opportunities. These unique programs along with a collaborative learning environment will help to ready students for the 21st century workforce.
BRYAN ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Garner, NC
Bryan Road Elementary School represents the evolution of the Wake County Public School System’s prototype to meet their updated design guidelines. The elementary school prototype, originally designed by our K-12 practice in 1995, has been the basis for 14 different schools over the years (including the recently completed Abbotts Creek Elementary School), adapting to changing curriculum and performance requirements. This is one of the first schools to incorporate design components to support Wake County’s 2020 Strategic Plan. In an effort to create a school system where all students can be successful, WCPSS has adopted the goals that their facilities shall incorporate components to support collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking.
building – not just in the classrooms. Using the learning commons as a vehicle to expand learning in the building, we have created these spaces by reimagining the corridor at each grade level cluster, creating a space that is large enough to support several classrooms of students. In addition, there are visual connections between the classrooms and the learning commons to allow students to work independently, in small groups, or to enable interaction and collaboration among several classrooms in one grade. The learning commons features instructional technology including monitors and writing surfaces, promoting creativity and engagement.
The 52-classroom facility is designed with a courtyard bounded by the classroom wings and the main core. The courtyard houses the play areas for the Pre-K and K-2 students, while play areas for grades three through These tangible goals translate into building components by thinking about five are located at the adjacent to the how learning happens throughout the playing field.
E.P. PEARCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Greensboro, NC
This school, located on the outskirts of Greensboro, is on a long, narrow site with significant grade changes. The school plan mimicked the natural shape of the site and is long and narrow, responding to the natural topography and allowing all general classrooms and major core spaces to receive daylight from either a north or south direction. The school system requested that the school design include high performance practices on a modest budget. Through the architecture, significant amounts of daylight are integrated into the classrooms. The design team worked to find a balance between providing a healthy atmosphere for learning and keeping the overall building cost at a minimum through the creative use of standard construction techniques.
Classrooms on the south building face enjoy large windows with light shelves for natural daylighting and views of the wooded neighborhood. Students on the north side of the building have large window openings at eye level as well, but also enjoy high sloping ceilings with a south-facing clerestory window providing additional daylight during the afternoon hours. Lights in the classrooms are only operational when natural light in not sufficient. The larger spaces, such as the media center, dining room, and multi-purpose room, also have high windows that provide natural light to a significant portion of the space.
ROSMAN HIGH SCHOOL/MIDDLE SCHOOL RENOVATION & ADDITIONS Transylvania County, NC
In 2015, we were commissioned to perform a conditions assessment and advanced planning exercise for the existing campus of Rosman High School. Efforts during this initial phase included a detailed conditions report, a Department of Public Instruction building assessment, cost benefits analysis for renovating or constructing new facilities, and phasing analysis for onsite construction associated with an occupied site. Following our initial work, this project has moved into schematic design. Currently, the project scope includes new construction for approximately 1/3 of the project, while maintaining and renovating the remaining 2/3 of campus.
Largely constrained by site boundaries and topography, construction will be phased, building the new portion first, relocating students into the new facilities, then renovating the existing facilities. New student drop off and single point entries are being added to the project, increasing student and staff safety. Major programmatic elements such as the Career and Technical Education Classrooms, dining facilities, and media center are being organized to allow centralized access for students. These efforts will minimize the distance between classes and enhance the learning environment for both middle and high school students.
EAST WAKE HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATION & ADDITIONS Wendell, NC
East Wake High School was originally built in 1976 sharing a site with a 1960’s-era junior high school. As the school age population grew, the two schools were converted into one high school connected by an administration building. Although the structure was classified as one school, it functioned as two buildings, having two cafeterias, two auditoriums, and two media centers. In 1997, Clark Nexsen was selected to work on the campus. Part of the charge was to master plan the site so that the two buildings could again function as two separate schools. The common facilities for the High School were to be consolidated on the south campus so the area of the north campus could be demolished to make way for a new elementary school. Only
the bus loop would be shared between the two schools. Another challenge was the School should remain fully functional during the construction period. Clark Nexsen has worked on this campus in a succession of phases to implement this Master Plan. The first phase, completed in 2000, consisted of the construction of a two-story science classroom wing and an enlarged and renovated media center. In 2004, an auxiliary gymnasium and locker rooms were added to upgrade the athletic facilities. The existing auditorium was converted to athletic support spaces and classrooms.
PATRICK HENRY CULINARY SCHOOL Roanoke, VA
The new Patrick Henry Culinary School provides an environment designed to excite and inspire students while equipping them with the tools they need to excel. Both Patrick Henry High School and William Fleming High School share the culinary program, which provides some of the most popular classes offered by the School System.
a direct visual connection to the adjacent classroom. The cooking stations were arranged to allow each student a view to the teacher’s station while facilitating an efficient preparation and cooking process. The classroom can be rearranged into a dining room while the delivery bay doubles as a space for decorative ice sculpture classes.
The Clark Nexsen team transformed a derelict print shop-turned wrestling practice facility into a state-of-theart culinary teaching kitchen and classroom for up to 30 students. The design of the space reinforces the program’s desire to create a seamless transition between learning and practice. The teaching kitchen, where students learn hands-on the skills necessary to successfully cook or bake a variety of dishes, shares
In keeping with Clark Nexsen’s commitment to environmentally responsible design, the project team intentionally selected environmentally responsible materials and finishes. These include renewable palm planking for the wood feature wall, energy efficient lighting, and low-VOC paints and sealants. As an alternative to installing new flooring, the existing concrete floor was cleaned, polished, and sealed.
LAKE NORMAN CHARTER SCHOOL RENOVATION & ADDITION Huntersville, NC
Clark Nexsen designed a 22,000 SF addition and 5,000 SF renovation to the Huntersville, North Carolina campus of Lake Norman Charter School. The project included a 400seat cafetorium with stage and backof-house features. The south-facing cafetorium will open to a courtyard facilitating exterior dining when weather permits. The courtyard is a campus focal point, organizing existing and new construction while providing a redefined school entry. The new cafetorium also provides a “senior dining” area which doubles as auxiliary dining seating when the stage is extended for theatrical productions. An administration suite includes offices for principal, staff, and career counselors. Counselor offices are defined from adjacent
waiting rooms and corridors by large windows providing visual access for passers-by. The design encourages students to stop in and learn about higher education and scholarship opportunities. The project features new art classrooms and support spaces, a band room, chorus room with risers, and a theater room. A unique program space included a technology repair area. This space is used to train students to repair computer equipment. Additionally, students help manage the school’s IT department from this area of the building.
WAKE YOUNG MEN’S & YOUNG WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP ACADEMIES RENOVATIONS Raleigh, NC
The Wake Young Men’s & Young Women's Leadership Academies were developed as part of the magnet school program for the Wake County Public School System. These academies are an alternative, singlegender program for grades six through 12, with upper grades on partnership with local college campuses. The programs are built around the concept of small class sizes, limiting each class to 25 students and two classes per grade level. Curriculum instruction focuses on leadership development and team building, along with core classes. The Young Men's Academy was originally constructed in 1923. It had been discontinued as a school during the 1970s and was functioning as a community services center for the neighborhood when it was returned to the school system. Large windows provide natural light and the original auditorium proscenium was maintained
as a feature element of the dining commons. The renovated building contains 15 classroom spaces, a dining commons with supporting food preparation area, administrative offices, media center, gymnasium, and supporting student spaces. The Young Women's Academy is housed on the campus of the Governor Morehead School near NC State University and downtown Raleigh. The middle school students and main administration are housed on the ground floor of the Lineberry Building, and the high school students occupy the Currin Building, a former preschool facility. The students share dining, auditorium, and gymnasium facilities with the Governor Morehead students who remain on campus. Each building was renovated to contain a science classroom and support space, and the classrooms needed to support the program.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROTOTYPE FOR WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Wake County, NC
In 1995, our firm was commissioned to design a new elementary school for Wake County Public School System. The original design, built as Timber Drive Elementary, was an 80,000 SF, single-story structure with the capacity to serve 700 students in core spaces and 600 students in classrooms. The original design proved to be very constructable, in that it could be built in less than one year. Local materials were incorporated into the building palette and the internal circulation could be adapted to meet minor program changes. Over the years, this prototype has also served to be very adept at meeting the changing needs of the school system. The general appearance and configuration is very flexible to meet the needs of a changing school environment. In the early uses, sustainable building elements were incorporated into the
design, and as building sites have become harder to find, the footprint has become more compact with the stacking of classroom wings into first, a 2-story 2-5 wing, and now a 3-story classroom wing. To date, the Clark Nexsen Elementary School Prototype has been used 15 times, with adjustments and modifications over the years to meet changing program requirements. Alston Ridge Elementary School, the twelfth use of the prototype, was completed in 2009 and is the first WCPSS project to be LEED certified with the U.S. Green Building Council. Bryan Road Elementary, the fourteenth use of the prototype, was recently completed in the summer of 2017. The fifteenth prototype use is currently in design.
JAMES B. HUNT JR. LIBRARY North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC Hunt Library is a next-generation building serving as the intellectual and social heart of the rapidly growing population on Centennial Campus. The new library embodies the spirit of NCSU’s competitive advantage in science and technology and will play a major role in attracting and retaining the best faculty, students, and corporate partners. From its iconic design to the latest in computing and collaboration tools, Hunt Library prepares students to lead and support innovative research in a technologydriven economy. Our firm served as executive architect, collaborating fully on the project design and construction with Snohetta’s New York office serving as
design consultant. Hunt Library was designed to enable working both alone and collaboratively, where students and faculty come to play with ideas and information, and experiment with new ways of doing things. The library collections are stored in the “bookBot,” an automated book delivery system, instead of traditional shelving, allowing the majority of the Hunt Library square-footage to be dedicated to a variety of technology-rich learning and collaborative spaces. The library provides 1,700 seats and includes almost 100 group study rooms with the technologies to work and study together including whiteboard walls, flat-panel display, and web-based video conferencing.
NORTHERN WAKE CAMPUS BUILDING K Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC The Multipurpose Athletics and Culinary Arts Building (Building K) is a versatile new facility that embodies Wake Tech’s vision to provide worldclass programs and training to the community it serves. Reflective of the college’s focus on skilled trades programs, this dynamic, light-filled facility blends state-of-the-art commercial kitchens for the baking and pastry arts program with athletic space for NCAA sports and fitness science education spaces. Through a curriculum-centered design that emphasizes the learning experience, the teaching spaces support students’ ability to make immediate, meaningful contributions in their future careers. Equipped with a modern fitness lab, yoga and group exercise studios, a gymnasium, and locker and training
rooms, the new facility provides an enriched physical education experience and offers a recruiting advantage for Wake Tech’s athletic programs. Home to basketball and women’s volleyball, the building’s gymnasium hosts NCAA games and tournaments as well as graduation ceremonies, career fairs, baking expos, and other events. Commercial-grade baking and pastry kitchens prepare students to quickly enter the industry with both theoretical knowledge and practical, hands-on training. Merging goals for both the baking program and fitness education, the concession area sells baked goods produced by the students during athletic events.
HALIFAX PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER Raleigh, NC The Halifax Park and Community Center is located in a well-established neighborhood on the immediate perimeter of downtown Raleigh. The neighborhood underwent extensive revitalization in recent years and is expected to experience additional growth with the revitalization efforts for the downtown area. The existing community center was in need of improvements to keep up with the demands of the growing number of users. An assessment and feasibility study was conducted to determine a program for the needs of the users, and to generate conceptual options for the City of Raleigh to consider. The study was performed with input from the general public as well as the nearby elementary school, high school, and college that utilize its facilities for their physical education and athletic programs.
Based upon the results of the study, the owner made the decision to demolish the existing facility and design a new facility that would better serve the needs of the center’s current and future users. The 17,000 SF facility includes a gymnasium with a regulation-sized basketball court, two basketball practice cross courts, and two regulation sized volleyball courts. The gymnasium also accommodates a walking track around the perimeter of the basketball court and mobile seating. The center includes a fitness and weight room with rubberized athletic flooring; a dividable multipurpose room outfitted with wireless internet; a warming kitchen; a reception lobby; an office; storage; utility rooms and restrooms. The exterior amenities include a children’s playground, an outdoor basketball court, and an entry plaza with associated parking.
ABBOTTS CREEK COMMUNITY CENTER Raleigh, NC Clark Nexsen was chosen to provide a new community center for the City of Raleigh in a rapidly growing area. The healthy-living themed facility houses a high bay gymnasium space with supporting classrooms, fitness spaces, and staff space. Complimentary outdoor athletic and fitness spaces are also included. The bow-trussed gym supports full-size basketball and volleyball courts, and also has cross-courts for basketball. Support spaces consist of a multi-purpose room, associated kitchen, storage, office, and classroom which will serve tracked-out students who are enrolled in year-round programs in nearby Wake County schools. A studio and fitness center, as well as spaces for staff offices and a lobby round out the main program elements. The facility also includes shower and locker facilities, and is LEED Silver certified.
The construction of the building is a structural steel frame with envelope construction consisting of a groundface CMU veneer and metal panels. The upper level of the gymnasium has insulated fiberglass sandwich panels with a clear insulated vision glass system. The lobby contains curtain wall construction with perforated metal screening. The building orientation maximizes daylighting on the northern and southern faรงades. The site is located on the former borrow site for the now decommissioned Wake County landfill, and is part of a larger Wake County park that is master planned for the area. Construction of two multipurpose fields are included with the community center in Phase One of the project. Future phases include construction of an additional multipurpose field, baseball and softball fields, and a skate park.
JOYNER PARK COMMUNITY CENTER Wake Forest, NC The Town of Wake Forest Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Department, together with Clark Nexsen, is building a new community center within E. Carroll Joyner Park as part of phase two of the master plan, which also includes the addition of a band shell to the existing amphitheater. The Joyner Park Community Center will include a gymnasium, an indoor track, lobby and reception space, a large multi-purpose room, PRCR administrative and staff offices, a
dance studio, teaching kitchen, and support spaces. This 30,000 SF facility will be nestled into the grade with site features including a front porch entry, natural play area, public plazas, culinary garden, and increased parking capacity. An additional entrance to the park is anticipated along Harris Road. The facility is being designed for future expansion with additional gymnasiums, and will serve as a recovery center after weather events as needed.
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