Tetra Tech Architects & Engineers : Portfolio : Elizabether Public Schools

Smyrna School District
Smyrna, Delaware

Complete Architectural Design, Structural Engineering and Civil Engineering of Smyrna Middle School

Highlights:

92,000 square-foot school building

Media Center, Computer Labs, TV Studio and Staff Research Room

700 seat Gymnasium

The new Smyrna Middle School is likely to set the standard for middle school design in Delaware. This 700 student building was designed to meet all of Department of Education (DOE) requirements. The building layout allows for flexibility and functional overlaps that go well beyond State's square footage formula guidelines.

Planned as a 92,000 square foot facility (DOE requirement), Smyrna Middle School offers a design that reflects a team approach to the "core" subjects of Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts. The classrooms devoted to teaching these subjects are clustered together along side two Special Education Classrooms, Teacher Resource Room and Storage Room; Each two "team clusters" share a Science Storage Room, Teacher Work Room, Staff Toilet and a Janitor's Closet and are located in a two-story wing that incorporate a "swing" Classroom, Computer Lab and Student Toilet Rooms. Vertically stacking these "team clusters" create an efficient space and cost saving construction.

The focal point of the school building is the Media Center. The Center is adjacent to a Computer Lab, a TV Studio and a Staff Research Room. The space serves as a hub for a school-wide media system that can be accessed from every classroom. The Media Center is located next to the main entrance and can easily accommodate after-hours community events. The 700 seat Gymnasium and Cafeteria spaces were designed with similar concerns for security and accessibility.

The school's related arts wing houses a variety of art and technology spaces: Art Classroom, Consumer Classroom, Family Sciences Classroom, Technology Lab, Agriculture Lab, a Band Room and two Health Science Classrooms.

Located adjacent to an existing District High School, Smyrna Middle School share some existing on-site facilities. The new Middle School added three new athletic fields with a potential of adding two more.