Fayetteville Montessori

With an aggressive 5-month construction schedule, limited budget & ample site restrictions, this 7,900 SF design also had to negotiate strict environmental criteria while accommodating an urgent need for classrooms for elementary grades 1-4, a conference room & commercial kitchen.

As the first building construction in accordance with the Fayetteville Streamside Protection Act, significant site restrictions helped form the Fayetteville Montessori Elementary School.

Considerable setbacks reduced the buildable area to a small triangle in the southwest corner of the site. The ground floor opens to include a rain garden that retains & filters rainwater to help mitigate flooding. A green roof atop the single-story eastern volume also helps reduce runoff & serves as additional insulation. A second floor of classrooms is provided along the western edge.

We designed the mechanical, electrical & plumbing systems for the school. Features include lighting controls, high-efficiency HVAC systems & an innovative ventilation system for the school’s kitchen. Our designs included computer models of the building envelope, particularly related to thermal, moisture & glazing elements for the cantilevered portion. Designed by Marlon Blackwell Architects, the school was completed in 2012 & is certified LEED Silver.