Meade High School
- Type: Renovation / Addition
- Size/Area: 386,000 SF
- Owner: Anne Arundel County Public Schools
- Location: 1100 Clark Road, Fort Meade, MD 20755
Located
on Fort Meade, Meade High School has been the focus of a multi-phase
partnership between SEI and Anne Arundel County Public Schools spanning more
than a decade. Our work began in 2011 with the design of a 12 classroom
addition to address growing enrollment, followed in 2013 by the conversion of
outdated open plan instructional areas into traditional classroom environments
that better support focused learning.
In 2015,
SEI led a series of comprehensive planning and design initiatives to support
AACPS in securing funding from the United States Department of Defense to
modernize the original 344,370 square foot facility constructed in 1974.
Together with school leadership and base administration, we developed a project
specific educational specification tailored to a 2,495 student capacity and the
distinct needs of both on and off base populations. The program significantly
expanded core academic capacity, public gathering venues, administrative and
student support areas, resource rooms, and specialized spaces for JROTC and
Homeland Security programs.
Following
the award of the federal grant, SEI designed a comprehensive 386,000 square
foot renovation and addition that transforms both the scale and performance of
the campus. The modernization included 86,000 square feet of demolition,
120,000 square feet of new construction, and 265,000 square feet of renovation,
with varying levels of intervention to respect and build upon prior work. The
project achieves full code compliance and LEED Silver equivalency, delivered
through a carefully phased construction strategy that allowed the school to
remain fully occupied throughout modernization.
The
original building lacked architectural identity and presented two indistinct
entrances serving the on and off base communities. SEI refronted the school to
establish a clear and welcoming main entrance for all students, staff, and
visitors, unifying the campus under a single, prominent identity. The
redesigned site organizes pedestrian access, vehicular drop-off and pick0up,
bus circulation, and parking for both on and off base users at the front of the
building, improving clarity, safety, and security while creating a strong civic
presence.
Inside,
the modernization strategy focuses on transforming how students experience
learning within this large facility. Flexible classrooms are paired with
collaborative learning commons that anchor distinct educational zones, breaking
down the scale of the complex into smaller, student-centered learning
communities. These hubs provide the adaptability to support a ninth-grade
academy, departmental cores, or a school within a school model, ensuring the
campus can evolve alongside changing educational needs for years to come.
photography by Judy Davis, Architectural Photographer
