The program for the a Anderson County Middle was developed using a full-blown Ed Spec process, over several months. (Dr. Ken Brooks assisted in organizing the group, and Gary Scott worked with them to develop the program.)
The primary facility criteria included space for 850 students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, with each grade set into family groups. Each grade was housed in separate wings, with shared spaces related to circulation routes used by specific grades (i.e., 7-8 grade art is related only to those grades, while media, administration, and PE spaces were in central, shared locations). The Owner maintained a strong commitment to community access, and we programmed a multipurpose space for additional P.E. and community functions. (The community had no public auditorium.) Strong emphasis was placed on site circulation, relative to bus/car traffic, and to the overall district transportation scheme regarding traffic flow between nearby schools. Construction bids for the 120,000 s.f. facility were $8.1 million, while budget anticipated $8.2 million.