K-12 Education Middle School
Francis Scott Key Middle School.
Silver Spring, Maryland
After analyzing the physical condition of an existing 120,000 SF middle school and its functional layout, Montgomery County Public Schools decided to demolish the existing building and rebuild a larger 145,000 SF school. The new facility is designed with a front-facing, one-story administration and cafteria area with a two-story classroom area in the rear. Aside from following sustainable design principals, challenges for the redesign included retaining a landscaped hill in front of the school, respecting a buffer for sensitive environmental areas, retention of the existing playfields, and achieving separation between an enlarged bus loop and personal vehicles.
Francis Scott Key Middle School was the first school in Maryland to achieve LEED Gold Certification. Its sustainable design elements include a geothermal HVAC system, minimal land disturbance, recycled waste, use of local and environmentally friendly materials, and daylighting. The rooftop is rented out for solar panels, which is a Montgomery County Public Schools standard.
