PROJECT  Ellen Ochoa Middle School

ARCHITECT  Grimm + Parker Architects

LOCATION  Landover Hills, Maryland, US​

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE  5/22/2025

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM  Kieran Wilmes, AIA, Jonathan Hill, AIA, Kat Schooley, Melissa Wilfong, AIA, Laura Smyles, AIA, Patrick Byrne, Chang Song
OWNER/CLIENT  Prince George's County Public Schools
CONTRACTOR/CONSTRUCTION MANAGER  MCN Build
PHOTOGRAPHER  Sam Kittner
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Bradley Site Design
CIVIL ENGINEER Adtek Engineers
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER  Columbia Engineering, Inc.
MECHANICAL ENGINEER  CMTA Consulting Engineers
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER  CMTA Consulting Engineers
CONSULTANT  Waldon Design Studio
CONSULTANT  Nyikos-Garcia Foodservice
CONSULTANT  Polysonics
CONSULTANT  Sustainable Design Consulting
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SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT  
Challenge:
To relieve overcrowding in its existing schools in the Northern Area of the county, PGCPS commissioned the design and construction of a new 1,200-seat middle school on a site composed of land acquired in a multi-tiered land swap with M-NCPPC. The land acquired was in an active but underused park, Glenridge Community Park. The design team recognized the need to integrate the school into its context, physically and spiritually. In community and project planning committee sessions, the project principles were set to create a new school that would integrate with the Glenridge Park setting, provide connections with and learning spaces in nature, and become a community hub open and accessible to its diverse neighborhood.

Solution:
Private and public zones of the building were established to separate focused instructional space for students and dynamic common areas accessible by the community after hours.

The school is organized around a Central Student Commons area oriented toward a view to the park– a dynamic and flexible public space for student gathering - dining and special events link the public functions of the Gymnasium, Student Dining and Main Administration at the top tier of the site with the Academic Wing. The center of the Learning Commons is anchored by a Learning Stair that provides for quiet study or large gatherings and connecting Student Dining to the lower-level Media Center. Student Dining accesses food service to the north and faces a stage to the west. The Media Center also accesses Learning Courtyards to the north and south, offering opportunities for outdoor learning in a secure, supervisable environment.

The Physical Education Cluster (Gymnasium, Wellness Lab, Health Classrooms, Locker Rooms) and Performing Arts Wing: (Instrumental Music + Vocal Music Classroom, Dance Studio) on the west side of the Student Commons area, are located next to the outdoor courts and fields.

The three-story Academic Wing sits downhill from the Main Entrance integrating into the natural slope of the park and reducing the impact of the mass on the surrounding neighborhood, with one floor per grade, each broken into small learning communities with Collaborative Learning Areas to facilitate small-group and individualized instruction. The Academic shared spaces, including Science Labs, Visual Arts Labs, and the STEAM Lab, are located adjacent to the Main Stair to be accessible for students of all grades. A Regional Special Education Cluster is located on the third floor of the academic wing, providing specialized learning environments for students with emotional disabilities.

Building Character
The development of the overall building character and imagery draws heavily from the project’s Design Guiding Principles, with the goal of integrating the school with its park setting. Exterior materials were chosen to harmonize the architecture with the surrounding nature. Masonry veneer was chosen to provide durable materials at the ground level perimeter and other locations. Corrugated metal panels are used to express the lighter nature of the trees and abundant landscaping surrounding the site. Interior colors, finishes, and graphics also have natural shapes, materials, and themes to bring the outside in.

JURY COMMENTS (If applicable)

The jury felt the new school with its design and materiality made a connection to the surrounding landscape and the neighborhood, while the jury commended its high-performance features like LEED Gold and a net zero energy target help it reduce its environmental impact and meet sustainable goals. We found the layout emphasizes the use of natural light and collective spaces that make it a welcoming, inclusive place.

IMAGES (Captions and Photographer Credit)
1. Classroom Bar + Courtyard, Sam Kittner Photography
2. Classroom Bar + Courtyard, Sam Kittner Photography
3. Student Commons, Sam Kittner Photography
4. Academic Collaboration Areas, Sam Kittner Photography
5. Transparency with Nature-Student Commons, Sam Kittner Photography
6. Skylights provide Natural Lighting - Entry into Gymnasium, Sam Kittner Photography
7. Outdoor Learning, Sam Kittner Photography
8. Exterior View at Dusk, Sam Kittner Photography