Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School Selected as Finalist for National Award

  • 09/08/15

Greenville, S.C. – For the first time, a K-12 facility from the Southeast Region has been selected by the Council of Education Facility Planners International (CEFPI) as a finalist for the organization’s national James D. MacConnell award. Greenville County Schools’ Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School is one of four finalists for this prestigious national award, CEFPI’s highest recognition of excellence in school facility planning and design across the United States.

Renee Alexander, AIA, BBT Architects and jury chair commented, “All of this year’s entries were exceptional, making it an extremely difficult task for the jury. These projects reflected the innovative school planning and design work that is moving beyond the traditional world of schools as we know them and inspiring transformation in education for tomorrow’s learners and leaders.”

Completed in 2013, Greenville County School’s first STEAM middle school is located on 27 acres adjacent to Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). The three-story, 179,000 square-foot school serves 1,000 Greenville County middle school students through small learning communities, a research based curriculum and team teaching in flexible and adaptable spaces. By partnering closely with the District from initial planning through completion, the design team of McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture and Fielding Nair International, a global educational planning expert and co-architect, were able to design a variety of indoor and outdoor learning spaces that demonstrate specific applications of math, science and engineering to students. The school officially opened its doors to students in August 2014.

Named for one of the most renowned school facility planners of the 20th century, the MacConnell Award is focused on the comprehensive planning process, including both the educational specifications and programs requirements as well as the actual architectural design.

Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School also received a statewide Honor Award at CEFPI’s South Carolina Chapter conference this March, marking McMillan Pazdan Smith’s 17th state-level CEFPI award in the past decade. This is the firm’s first project to be selected as a finalist for the national-level CEFPI MacConnell Award.

About McMillan Pazdan Smith
McMillan Pazdan Smith is a studio-based design firm specializing in master planning, architecture and interior design services. Office locations include Greenville, Spartanburg, and Charleston, SC; Atlanta, GA; and Asheville, NC.

Featured

  • Image courtesy of Kahler Slater

    UW–Madison Announces Completion of Morgridge Hall

    The University of Wisconsin–Madison recently announced that construction is complete on Morgridge Hall, a new academic building, according to a news release. The facility opened September 3 at the start of the fall semester, consolidating the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences into a single facility for the first time.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.