Jackson Prep Lower School

Design team
Ferguson and Associates Architecture; Schultz and Wynne (Electrical Engineers); ERG (Mechanical Engineers); The Pickering Firm (Civil Engineers); Second Moment (Structural Engineers); McCrory and Associates (Landscape Architect)

Jackson Preparatory School has had a renowned reputation as one of the state’s finest college prep institutions for over 50 years. The school has excelled in academics and athletics throughout its history. Until now, Jackson Prep has been a school for grades six to 12. Ferguson & Associates Architecture was commissioned to help add a K-5 component to the campus.

Initial desires were to have a separate facility with a connection to the school proper. The site plan called for separation for the carpool traffic with distinct characteristics needed to keep the student safe and make the egress and entry efficient. The elementary school location provides a 60-car carpool line that does not interfere with the rest of the campus. The middle school and high school are situated along a campus promenade. The lower school is at a roundabout inserted at the end of the promenade. This reinforces the promenade as the main axis of the campus where a future academic building will be sited.
The main design concept for this facility was to emphasize a collegiate atmosphere and interweave a fun, creative and colorful whimsy into the facility. The design uses a strict grid layout incorporating curves that imitate other areas of the campus. The lower school site also includes outdoor “labs” for students, and two age-specific play spaces. It has space for future classroom growth with a gymnatorium and cafeteria.
The facility is made up of 20 classrooms, media room, art room, STEM lab, tech lab and creative studies area with support spaces and administration. The building is broken into four halls: Wonder Hall, Explore Hall, Create Hall and Discover Hall. The Wonder Hall serves the young student with a focus on growth and wonder. The media room in the Explore Hall is set up to mimic a woodland scene with tree and cloud ceiling structures and earth and river floor coverings. A large art room anchors the Create Hall to serve the entire facility. This area is focused on creative color. The STEM and tech areas anchor Discover Hall. This area focuses on space and exploration.

Additional Information

Product suppliers specified