SHW Group honored for its design of Eastern View High School in Culpeper, Virginia
The educational architecture firm has been honored with two awards for its design of the high school, which opened in 2008 and was designed to resemble a school wrapped around a community center; Slated to receive LEED certification
WASHINGTON D.C., May 14, 2009 – SHW Group, one of the nation’s top architectural design firms, has been honored with two awards for its design of Eastern View High School in Culpeper, Virginia – the 2009 Virginia Educational Facility Planners’ Facility Award and the Gold Design Award at the Virginia School Board Association’s annual Exhibition of School Architecture. Both awards recognize outstanding educational facilities that serve the needs of students, staff and the community while enhancing teaching and learning.
SHW Group’s design concept called for the 259,218-square-foot learning facility to resemble a school wrapped around a community center. The classrooms, flexible learning areas, auditorium, media center and teacher suite all feature technological tools and agile spaces designed to promote collaboration, enrich learning and foster a sense of community. Internal glazing and the extensive use of glass gives the impression of openness with light spaces yet also allows for quiet or semi-private areas, helping facilitate passive supervision, showcase learning and promote security. In addition, every space in the school is infused with daylight and bright colors.
“Each grade level has its own house surrounding a resource area that uses a large skylight to bring natural light into interior spaces,” said Derk Jeffrey, managing principal of SHW Group’s Washington D.C. studio. “This flexible space can be used for student collaboration, small group instruction or large group exercises. For example, during breaks from classes, students often utilize these spaces by studying, visiting with friends or playing music.”
Eastern View’s sustainable design – slated to receive LEED certification – incorporates extensive daylighting, natural ventilation, polished concrete floors, lighting controls, Energy Star compliant roofing and geothermal wells. In addition, the school was sited to protect and incorporate existing wetlands on the 67-acre property.
Additionally, as Culpeper County’s second high school, Eastern View had the task of unifying a community while dividing student enrollment. To that end, the facility creates new civic space and elevates the overall academic rigor of the system. The success of Eastern View has led to a study of Culpeper’s first high school to raise its standards to a new level.
For more information about SHW Group, please visit www.shwgroup.com.
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Media Contact: Claire Bloxom
claire@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191
