MHM is proud to announce that the Webb School of Knoxville – Middle School Innovation Center was the only middle school project nationally to receive a citation award for design.
The project is based on a desire to integrate technology and hands-on making with core academic subjects. It offers students a variety of spaces to collaborate, innovate, and explore.
“Everything is filled with natural light. I felt like I wanted to study in those spaces and be in those spaces.”
The plan offers flexible spaces for changing curricula and technologies. A new entrance establishes a front-to-back, two-story spine along the existing building, putting the library on full display. The space features a deep gray wall of books with sliding whiteboards. Penetrating this wall, the building is organized by placing labs and maker spaces to the perimeter with a common core featuring storage, offices, and a broadcast studio. Outside, patio spaces are used for study, shop, and robotics.
Sustainability goals were achieved through enhanced envelope performance for new walls, high-efficiency glazing with vertical sunshades, local materials, and higher-efficiency systems and lighting. Bright greens are a playful twist on the school’s colors, and the interiors reflect an attitude of creative whimsy, which is at the core of the facility’s design.