IN
G BY D E
High
School
N
LE
IG
A
N
S
R
OUTSTANDING PROJECT
2010
Cannon Falls High School/Middle School Cannon Falls, MN
Entire School/Campus Building RENOVATION/ADDITION/ RESTORATION
Honorable Gary Nyberg Mention
N
LE
IG
A
S
Smiley G Glotter B Y D Nyberg IN E N Architects R 111 Washington Ave. N., Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55401 612/332-1401
2010
DESIGN TEAM Gary Nyberg, Project Principal Jim Wilson, Project Architect Jill Bills, Project Job Captain Dolejs Associates, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers LS Engineers, Structural Engineer Larson Engineering, Civil Engineer OWNER/CLIENT Cannon Falls Public Schools Cannon Falls, MN Todd Sesker, Superintendent 507/263-680
A
s part of an expansion of the existing Cannon Falls High School/ Middle School, SGN planned a joint-use community center. It features a 600-seat auditorium with support spaces, an event lobby for gatherings, and a much-needed school commons with an expanded kitchen and concession area, created to serve the school as well as for public use at breaks in performances or sporting events. The new front entry and lobby give the building a light,
KEY STATS Grades Served: 6-12 Capacity: 750 students Size of Site: 71 acres Building Area: 211,430 square feet Building Volume: 4.1 million cubic feet Space per Student: 282 square feet Cost per Student: $21,565 Square Foot Cost: $77 Construction Cost: $16.2 million Total Project Cost: $18.6 million Contract Date: Oct. 2007 Completed: Sept. 2009 Completion: 100% Photography: SGN Staff Photo
34
open feel, which was missing from the original 1960s construction. Horizontal elements are emphasized on the addition, and a warm color palette helps “the old” merge seamlessly with “the new.” The exception is the bold red brick introduced at the entry wall, which draws both students and visitors into the building and focuses on the new student dining commons.
L e a r n i n g B y D e s i g n F A L L 2 0 1 0 | www.learningbydesign.biz
The new commons area was created by removing two walls of a small auxiliary gymnasium and replacing them with a colorful colonnade. A complete wellness and fitness center is included in the community center, featuring a 30,800-square-foot multipurpose fieldhouse (with three basketball courts, three volleyball courts, three tennis courts, a track, and
seating for 580 spectators), a weight room, lockers, and an expanded wrestling area. The fieldhouse is designed for community events and, along with the auditorium and commons, can be separated from the rest of the school for after-hours use. In the words of Superintendent Todd Sesker, “We have now become a cool school.” n