The true spirit of education lies in the joy of learning, and Dixie Middle School captures that essence in its intuitive architectural form. NWL designed the light-filled, modern school to replace an aging and outdated educational facility for Washington School District and in doing so, delivered a major academic upgrade for the district. The 164,896-square-foot, 3-story school was designed with a small footprint to make room for much-needed campus green space and to accommodate the re-configuration of the neighboring high school baseball complex – a design challenge that called for ingenuity and creative planning. The $25,115,554 school’s compact nature also allowed for minimal disruption to classes and extra-curriculars during construction of the new build, which was a testament to deft design and thoughtful phasing. Constructed from load-bearing tilt-up concrete wall panels and concrete masonry on a steel frame, the school features an aesthetically engaging modern rectangular design theme that resonates throughout the building’s exterior and interior. Dramatic aluminum storefront windows make use of natural light, mimicked by the suspended rectangular light fixtures that bring light-filled geometry into the interiors. Staggered painted blue and green rectangle wall motifs highlight the multi-varied hues of the school’s surrounding landscape while tying in the school’s mascot blue. A giant chessboard in the commons area adds even more intrigue to the interiors and serves as an out-of-the-box way to engage students. The building’s upper level is clad in modern-looking metal panels, which provide striking contrast to the red earth hue of the lower level’s natural masonry and concrete reminiscent of the surrounding Southern Utah desertscape. The school was completed in August 2015, welcoming the Dixie Eagles back in fall semester.

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