The design approach for the Reeds Spring Middle School denies the conventional act of scraping the site clean, flattening the hilltops and destroying the natural character of the site. Instead, the building is strategically positioned at the edge of a 150-acre wooded site to lightly nestle into a hillside and gracefully flows down the valley in the heart of the Ozarks. The heavily wooded site and steep topography were preserved to allow this state of the art school to seemingly emerge from the landscape. The design accommodates the districts push for state of the art technology integration, collaborative learning environments, and tornado safety all in one facility.

Jury Notes: A well sited and clearly organized building - here is an ambitious public school which challenges convention. Through its use of landscape metaphors; Shed, Stream, Bluff and Cave, a site-specific architecture evolves. One that articulates the school district’s mission to be ethical and preserve the natural environment. The spaces are exceptionally bright, abundant with texture, and held together by a limited palette of materials.