The city of Opelika continues to experience exponential growth and development. Projections for its student population are increasing, so the Opelika school board presented TURNERBATSON the opportunity to design a new building for 400-500 6th grade students.

The school is located down the road from Opelika High School on Fox Run Parkway. The site is arranged to allow separate access for car riders and buses. It features sidewalks that help connect the school with the city’s bike and pedestrian plan. The shape of the building creates a controlled courtyard that’s easily accessed from different points within the school and can be used as additional teaching space.

Inspired by the neoclassical architecture of the Lee County Courthouse, the exterior showcases precast stone and brick that are both durable and representative of this historic style.

The new school houses 28 classrooms on two levels to help create an ordered, but energized, learning environment. It includes a multipurpose activity room for recreation, a cafeteria with an outdoor eating canopy, and media center — positioned adjacent to one another. A central monumental stair with collaborative learning space allows students to work with one anther in an open learning environment.

Our team was intentional about allowing natural light access to all of the spaces. One of the design features of the interior is the relationship of the corridors and the spaces they serve. Upon entering the school, floor patterns help quickly identify the circulation paths and entrances to classrooms. Likewise, applied paneling and Opelika-branded graphics are used to identify the other public spaces. The Activity Room features a logo that has been recreated from a hand-painted bulldog generated by an alumnus over 40 years ago.

Security is also an intentional, yet discrete, priority in the design. The entrance is organized so that visitors will pass through a set of secured doors and can speak to the receptionist before being allowed access to the remaining school. Sight lines are preserved to maximize visibility throughout all areas of circulation.