Flint Middle School and High School

3320 Jermantown Road
Oakton, Virginia 22124

The design emulates industrial buildings where gadgets, devices, and mechanisms are conceived, designed, and fabricated in a single environment. The middle school building incorporates structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems exposed to expand awareness and learning through transparency and natural materials. Classrooms, labs, and project areas open onto one other and can expand or contract as needed. The open design allows for the free flow of students and faculty from the classroom to project areas to innovation and science labs. The lobby looks through to an expansive terrace overlooking the adjacent athletic fields creating a linear connection to the surrounding parklands. The large glass 2-story commons space is a visual beacon for the neighborhood and school. Dark stack bond brick, exposed concrete, structural steel, and corrugated metal industrial windows give a historical nod to provide the building with its backstory. A large terrace extends the length of the building and steps down to the playing fields, creating a natural grandstand for sporting events. An adjacent purpose-built play area provides physical activities geared specifically to teenage students.

The scope of work for this project encompassed the new construction of a two-story, 40,000-square-foot building on an overall combined fifty-acre campus. The program includes 16 classrooms; two large project spaces; dedicated space for digital arts, makers lab, and robotics; an art studio; study rooms; dining commons; and a gathering terrace. Energy-efficient mechanical systems provide CDC-recommended air flow and filtration. Automatic dimming of LED lighting responds to the abundantly available daylight. Water-saving plumbing fixtures and bottle fillers serve to conserve water and reduce waste. Stormwater is managed through bio-retention areas around the building, becoming a science teaching tool.