Liberty High School

A shift of department locations results in a transformation of an open, flexible and innovative environment fostering entrepreneurial mindsets.

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Maplewood Elementary School

Bright colors, wood tones and the maple leaf are just a few nods to the school pride that runs deep through generations of students that attended Maplewood Elementary School.

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East Middle School

East Middle School
East Middle School

East Middle School

JOPLIN, MISSOURI

  • Joplin School District
  • New Construction
  • 125,800 SF total
  • $30.4 million

A shared building with a well-defined threshold eases the transition from elementary to middle school, while a bold, vibrant color palette set this young adult space apart from elementary.

Sharing a site with Soaring Heights Elementary School, it’s important that the architecture, design and environmental graphics emphasize the maturity, focus and confidence that comes with young adulthood.

This school replaces the middle school lost on May 22, 2011, when the worst tornado disaster on record to date in the United States hit to the City of Joplin. The Superintendent called this effort “Operation Rebuild.”

Millcreek Campus

Millcreek Campus
Millcreek Campus

Millcreek Campus

OLATHE, KANSAS

  • Olathe USD 233
  • Addition & Renovation
  • 98,000 SF
  • $16 million

Learners of all ages – toddler to adult – now feel at home at the renamed Millcreek Campus. This multi-generational learning environment houses several of the District’s community and alternative learning programs. With all these generations meeting in this one space, collaborative learning is taken to the next level.

The Parents as Teachers program hosts parents of young children for playgroups and child development support. Flexible learning environments and specialized spaces allow middle and high school students with special circumstances the opportunity to catch up or stay on track with their schoolwork, and adult education classroom spaces offer community members the opportunity to expand their career opportunities.

This historic campus was previously known as the John P. St. John Memorial High School, originally built in 1926. This outdated facility housed many of these educational and community programs in three separate buildings. Our design team worked with the District’s educational partners to reimagine the campus, starting with an addition that connects the buildings and allows for more collaboration and engagement. Today, the space welcomes learners of every generation– making it a learning environment like no other.

millcreeknew

Summit Ridge Middle School

Summit Ridge
Summit Ridge

Summit Ridge Middle School

LITTLETON, COLORADO

  • Jefferson County Public Schools
  • Addition/Renovation
  •  13,000 SF
  • $4.8 million

Visual connectivity and strategically designed collaborative spaces have led to an evolution of learning styles at this newly combined middle school. 

Jeffco Public Schools in Denver, Colorado recently decided to transition their sixth-grade students into middle-school, and needed to accommodate for the addition of 400 students. The existing building hosted traditional classrooms and learning areas, challenging the design team to seamlessly integrate the two buildings while incorporating collaborative learning elements into the addition. Hollis + Miller worked directly with the principal, faculty, community members, and students to create a design that would introduce collaboration spaces and a learning stair alongside new classrooms and science labs. Renovations to the school’s STEAM classrooms allow more students access to hands on education with computer aided design, engineering, and fabrication.

Walden Middle School

Walden Middle School

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

  • Park Hill School District
  • New Construction
  • 114,500 SF
  • $34.4 million

2021 A4LE John Shaw Award Recipient

Visual connectivity and strategically designed collaborative spaces have led to an evolution of learning styles at this newly combined middle school. 

Driving up to the building, you immediately feel the sense of space and pride created by Walden Middle School. Exterior signage and artwork can be illuminated with interchangeable colors to celebrate special occasions and holidays. The space was designed and built to give students access to outside daylight, while also ensuring safety and security as well as the durability of the building. This feeling of openness and transparent connectivity has attributed to the lack of bullying, according to the principal. Lockdown features also can be activated at the push of a button, securing 75 percent of the building.

In addition, the three academic wings are flexible and include operable walls, allowing for customization and collaboration throughout. The wings are connected by the gallery-like commons, where students’ work can be showcased, as well as the media center. The green building is the first LEED V4 certified school building in the region and demonstrates how the design played a crucial role in extending the building’s life cycle while incorporating impactful and sustainable features.

Olathe West High School

Olathe West High School

OLATHE, KANSAS

  • Olathe USD 233
  • New Construction
  • 375,000 SF
  • $85 million
  • Design Partner: Stantec Architecture

Learning is on display at this one-of-a-kind high school.

From the moment students walk in the door, they’re greeted with the media center and the 21st Century Learning program labs. Student socialization and collaboration are encouraged with two learning stairs connecting academic neighborhoods.

Academic neighborhoods house a variety of spaces from flexible labs to blended learning environments, giving the school a more collegiate feel. No teacher owns their classroom, but rather chooses the environment that will work best for that day’s lesson.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

  • AIA Kansas – Citation Award in Large Architecture
  • A4LE Midwest Great Lakes – John Shaw Award

Carpenters’ Union Training Facility

Kansas City – St. Louis Carpenters’ Training Facility

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

  • Adaptive Reuse
  • 68,000 SF
  • $5.7 million

Apprentices and instructors have the room and storage they need for all their trades to learn in this new training facility. 

Moving from an older, smaller space to an adapted former big box store gave the Carpenters Union not just the right amount but the right type of space to combine its training facility with its regional offices. Apprentices split their time between classrooms and the workshop, so every classroom is physically or visually connected to the workshop. Large graphics make the room numbers easily visible from anywhere in the facility.

This facility also serves as the regional office for the Carpenters Union of Kansas City – St. Louis. The front of the space features an administrative suite, and the facility also has the ability to open up for public events including community meetings and political rallies.