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Elementary School Project Receives Additional Accolades in Learning by Design Fall 2016
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) happily received an Outstanding Project award for excellence in educational facility design in the fall 2016 issue of Learning by Design for Brookwood Elementary School, a new facility recognized for its overall plan, architectural design and for having attributes worthy of imitation.
The new school is designed to support two specific grade-grouping structures, K-2 and 3-5, in a “school within a school” configuration. The design places functions shared by both programs, including the Media Center, dining, gymnasium, administration, and art and music instruction, at the center of the building with other academic spaces flanking the shared core. Learning studios, small group instruction areas and large group instruction areas provide spaces for individual, small-, medium- and large-group learning. Spaces traditionally used as vertical transition areas function as additional dynamic, large group instruction spaces in the form of “learning stairs”.
The distinguished jury of architects and end-users for Learning by Design commended SG for our success in designing Brookwood Elementary School after judging the project based on six criteria: Innovation, Community Need, Interior Design, Sustainability, Functional Design and 21stCentury Learning. “Very efficient plan that successfully breaks down the school into two,” and “Good use of learning stairs,” were among jury comments.
To learn more about the project, please visit www.learningbydesign.biz or our website.
Elementary School Project Named Outstanding Design in Educational Interiors Showcase
SCHRADERGROUP is pleased to announce that the new Brookwood Elementary School was selected to appear as an Outstanding Design in the 2016 American School & University Educational Interiors Showcase. It is featured in the August 2016 edition of the magazine and also on the web at www.schooldesigns.com. An annual competition honoring educational interior design excellence, the Educational Interiors Showcase spotlights projects representing some of the most effective learning environments in America.
Brookwood Elementary School was evaluated on criteria that included contribution to learning experience; ease of use; alignment with program and community; timeless aesthetics; provision of a variety of spaces to support all learners; consideration of human and environmental health; and deep, authentic, ongoing community engagement.
For more information about this project, please visit our website.
SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes Two New Team Members
David Johnson, Designer, comes to the firm with a strong history of involvement in educational work. His professional experience includes all stages of projects, from schematic design through to construction documentation and administration. He is adept at facilitating coordination between the architectural group and all involved sub-consultants. Well-versed in BIM technology, Dave also is proficient in all aspects of drafting and modeling. His extensive skills and experience serve as an excellent support for the entire project team.
We are excited to have Raquel and Dave as part of our team and look forward to their contributions!
3750 Reasons Why We Do What We Do
When we get caught up in the mechanics of the day-to-day, we often lose sight of exactly what it is that got us to where we are, and why we are doing what we are doing. If we’re lucky, we get reminders that help us to remember.
As architects for the K-12 market, we can get pretty engulfed by the myriad details that go into designing and building a new school. And multiply the details by three if you are simultaneously designing and constructing three sister schools in one district! So it was with great pleasure that we viewed a video created by Bristol Township School District (BTSD) music teacher, Mr. Joe Marlow, documenting the transition of students coming from nine outdated elementary schools into three brand new 140,400 SF facilities recently completed by SCHRADERGROUP (SG).
Watching the reactions of the students as they become acquainted with their new ‘homes’ was a powerful reminder of the reason why we come to work every day. Or, in the case of BTSD, with three projects each serving 1250 students, the 3750 little reasons.
Thanks to the Bristol Township School District and community for such a rewarding experience. We wish you all the best in your new facilities!
If you have difficulty viewing the video above, please watch the video here.
SCHRADERGROUP Included in Engineering News-Record Mid-Atlantic Top Design Firms 2016
Engineering News-Record Mid-Atlantic Magazine includes SCHRADERGROUP architecture in its list of Top Design Firms 2016. The ENR Mid-Atlantic Top Design Firms list ranks the largest design firms, both publicly and privately held, based on design-specific annual revenue. SG ranked at #72 this year, placed in the category of General Building. We are pleased to have risen in the rankings from our place last year at #76. Our ranking features our largest project to break ground in 2015, the Phoenixvville Early Learning Center and Elementary School.
SCHRADERGROUP Featured in BD+C 40th Annual Giants 300 Report
We’re excited to announce that Building Design + Construction Magazine’s 40th Annual Giants 300 Report featured SCHRADERGROUP architecture among their top 100 architecture firms. The annual report ranks top AEC firms in commercial construction, by revenue. Ranked #97 overall, SG jumped to #12 amongst the Top Data Center AEC firms. This ranking is a reflection of the quantity of public mission critical facility designed by the firm. We are honored to be recognized, and will continue to keep pace with the leaders in our industry.
Topping-off Ceremony Conducted for SCHRADERGROUP Project
A topping-off ceremony marking the placement of the final steel beam for the new Dare and Tyrrell County Regional Emergency Communication Center and Dare County Emergency Operation Center was conducted last week at the project site in Manteo, North Carolina. Designed by SCHRADEGROUP (SG) with support from the Norfolk-based firm of Lyall Design Architects, the 18,200 SF facility will provide space for services and departments that include a Regional 9-1-1 Communication Center, an Emergency Operations Center, County Emergency Management Agency, County Fire Marshal, County Emergency Medical Services, and a County Joint Information Center.
SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes New Team Member
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is pleased to welcome former summer intern Jeremy Ross back to the team as a permanent employee. Jeremy, who graduated this spring with a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Pennsylvania State University, rejoins the firm as an architectural designer.
To date, Jeremy’s experience spans from feasibility studies and conceptual design through to construction documentation and administration primarily for the academic and commercial markets. Adept at working with a variety of design software, his particular expertise in Revit is extremely valuable for the implementation of design strategies as well as in project production.
We are happy to have Jeremy as a permanent addition to our team, and look forward to his contributions!
SCHRADERGROUP Attends Groundbreaking for Additions and Renovations to Middle School
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) was pleased to be in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony for additions and renovations to the Holland Middle School in Council Rock School District, Newtown, Pennsylvania. Anticipated to be complete in 2019, the project involves renovations to approximately 140,000 SF as well as an addition of 44,000 SF. The renovations and additions are a result of an effort by the District to consolidate three middle school populations into two facilities. Program additions to Holland Middle School include an auditorium with balcony seating, new spaces for music, an auxiliary gymnasium, fitness room, additional classrooms, and a new administration area. The interior of the building will be completely renovated to reflect twenty-first century learning styles while the exterior of the building will updated with a new, contemporary skin. New windows will introduce daylighting throughout the facility.
SCHRADERGROUP Celebrates 12 Years
This spring marks 12 years since SCHRADERGROUP (SG) opened our doors in a revitalized industrial building in Manayunk, Pennsylvania. In that time, we expanded our original space, then moved into a larger space, and recently expanded and renovated the larger space. We’ve grown to 21 employees and opened branch offices in Lancaster, Baltimore and Wilmington. We continue to increase our presence nationally through our public safety/mission critical work, and have completed K-12 and higher education projects throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware. We’ve faced some challenging economic times, internal ‘growing pains’ that come with expansion, and the day-to-day trials inherent to running a service-oriented business. But we’ve also won awards for our work, watched staff grow professionally and personally, and learned quite a bit about how to run a better business. At the end of the day or, in this case, at our twelfth year, we pause to reflect on what makes us keep at it. And we think about the joyous students moving into a brand new or much-improved, renovated school. Or the law enforcement and mission critical employees who move into a safe, ergonomic, state-of-the-art facility and know that they will be able to provide the best service possible to their communities. In these moments, we are thankful and honored to be a part of making good things happen with great clients who place their trust in our team. And in these moments, we look forward to the years ahead and to the exciting projects and fantastic clients to come. Congratulations, SG, thanks to all of the clients we’ve served, and thanks also to the trusted partners who serve alongside us!