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

  • Indiana University Launches Capital Campus in D.C.

    Indiana University recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new IU Capital Campus in Washington, D.C., according to university news. The eight-story facility will provide a central hub for the university’s existing programs and business operations based in D.C., uniting them under one roof and providing the opportunity to expand.

  • Photo credit - Chuck Coates

    Florida District Modernizes Central Energy Plants at Two High Schools

    Flagler Schools, a public school district in Flagler County, Fla., recently partnered with Matern Professional Engineering to modernize the central energy plants at two of its high schools, according to a news release. The project is part of a larger, district-wide effort to reduce energy costs and operational expenses.

  • Secret to Efficient, On-Time School Infrastructure & Modernization Projects is All in the Preparation

    Warmer weather and longer days make summer the ideal time for construction and modernization projects at educational facilities. School boards and construction firms must coordinate effectively to ensure that these projects do not extend even a single day into the school year and impede classroom operation.

  • Johns Hopkins Starts Construction on New Residence Hall, Dining Facility

    The Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., recently began construction on a new residence hall and dining facility, according to university news. The work involves demolishing the existing Alumni Memorial Residence Hall I, which was built in 1923, to make room for the new facility.