Earlier this year, we kicked off the Alice Deal Middle School project in DC’s Ward 3.
So far, our 22,500 SF renovation and addition to this iconic school, dating back nearly 120 years, has been a journey of persistence, collaboration, and innovation. Marisa King, Project Architect, gave us the scoop on some of the team’s recent challenges throughout the design phase.
Due to the school’s status as a historical building, gaining approval from the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) proved to be a monumental challenge. For months Marisa and the team had to re-envision their original concepts to preserve the school’s historic character and fit the rigorous standards of the CFA. After many renditions and designs and several stages of trial and error, MOYA finally received the green light from the CFA!
Our proposed design includes 12 classrooms, two science labs, a spacious student dining area, and key administrative spaces across three levels. Central to this design is a main courtyard that acts as a connective node, linking the existing school building to our new additions. This courtyard is surrounded by various communal spaces designed to inspire collaboration and interactive learning for students.
