Project Summary

Challenge
A school in the center of the 2015 Baltimore Uprising held potential to become a beacon of hope for the neighborhood. Through a robust collaborative community process with parents, teachers and neighbors, Quinn Evans envisioned the transformation of this disenfranchised neighborhood school into a vibrant school of the future—serving both students and the community.

Solution
Combining the needs of students and the community into the design of the school renovation and addition connected the neighborhood with services and social opportunities. Modern, dedicated and flexible learning spaces and facilities were designed for shared community use and included spaces for student support services, parent volunteers and local organizations.

The community spaces include a community room, parent volunteer room, food pantry, clothing pantry and laundry, recreation and parks center, and the Judy Center which provides state-funded outreach for under-served children and families. An auditorium was requested by the community in lieu of the standard cafetorium encouraging school administrators to select a renovation plan over a full replacement of the existing buildings. Going beyond a simple finish upgrade, the renovated auditorium welcomes students and the community to enjoy a more professional performance space featuring new theatrical lighting and sound systems, sloped seating, and acoustic panels.

Inspired outside spaces such as a paved public square at the main entry, an outdoor classroom, an open play field and the extension of the new Academic Wing to an existing public park with playground and basketball courts encourage and provide additional opportunities for students and residents to connect with nature.

Sustainable strategies included micro bio-retention planters to manage stormwater runoff, daylighting and automatic lighting controls to reduce energy use, managing solar gain by high-performance glazing and interior and exterior shading devices and connecting the main lobby to the outdoor classroom inviting students to learn in and about the natural environment.

Details
Collaborative areas located off of the main corridor provide flexible breakout space for classrooms and bring daylight into the building. Bright, modern classrooms with flexible furniture support multiple teaching and learning styles. Large windows allow students to rest their eyes in the distance between periods of focusing on the page or screen. Curved perforated ceiling panels add whimsy to a low existing space while improving acoustics and masking utilities without adding substantial cost.