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The new facility enables sixth-grade students to transition from elementary to middle school, aligning with developmental and academic goals. Emphasizing socio-emotional well-being, the school embraces a “learning happens everywhere” approach, with flexible spaces that foster autonomy, connection, and personal expression.
At the heart of the design is the “Forest Walk,” a circulation spine adjacent to the site’s wooded edge that unites dining, library, and commons into a vibrant, all-day learning hub. This strategic consolidation of underutilized programs reduced the school’s footprint by nearly 10,000 SF without sacrificing function—freeing resources for enhanced programming. Informed by student feedback through surveys and workshops, the design directly reflects the needs and aspirations of its learners.
Arranged like pebbles scattered along a path, students may also explore the ‘space between’—each unique in scale, privacy, and connection to the outdoors.
Inspired by the color, rhythm, and scale of the rural Kansas landscape, Washburn Rural North Middle School bridged learning spaces to the natural environment, celebrating the dynamic experiences afforded by daylight, vegetation, seasons, and sky.
The rhythm of a delicate louver and texture of a custom corrugated skin playfully express the natural dynamics afforded by the sun, creating an organic sense of place within the surrounding landscape.
Just beyond the classroom commons, every grade level is connected to its own outdoor learning environment—a series of interconnected workspaces interwoven with a tapestry of native flora.
A simple palette of materials—wood, brick, and metal—define an interconnected building language throughout the school. This subtle yet impactful system of visual cues provides an intuitive roadmap for how space and programs might be used or interpreted.
Photographer: Michael Robinson
