Kelly Mill Middle School

Columbia, SC

This 156,600 SF middle school shares a campus with an elementary school and accommodates 1,038 students. Common parking, drop-off and service facilities help to reduce site infrastructure and create a campus setting.

The plan is organized into grade-level “houses,” with each house containing 12 general purpose classrooms, 3 science labs, and a computer lab. Additional facilities include a multipurpose room, a central media center, music rooms, art rooms, a cafeteria, and a gymnasium. All of these core facilities are located along a large central spine designed for ease of supervision and efficient circulation.

The 2-story main classroom building intersects the central spine, facilitating access to core areas while defining the academic houses. Classrooms feature large windows for daylighting, with additional light shafts to bring natural light into the first-floor library. Large open stairs are located at the intersections of the central spine and the classroom building, maximizing traffic flow and optimizing visual supervision.