Fulton County Schools in Georgia teamed with Georgia Tech’s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (which provided curriculum support) and several other partners to develop Innovation Academy, the school district’s latest magnet school.
The 245,000-sf, three-level school—whose construction began in July 2018 and whose ceremonial groundbreaking occurred last Nov. 22—will be located in downtown Alpharetta, Ga., on property that previously housed the old Milton High School. It will open initially to accommodate ninth and 10th graders, but ultimately will serve between 1,500 and 1,600 students in grades nine through 12.
To support the workforce needs of the North Fulton community, the school’s curriculum will focus on Information Technology, Engineering, and Health Sciences, with an emphasis on design thinking and preparing students for a “knowledge economy.” Learning will be demonstrated through projects, portfolios, certifications, business mentorships as well as student created applications and products.
Innovation Academy will take academic concepts and teach them through real-world experiences and hands-on problem solving. Students will work in teams with support from a robust advisory program, with the goal of cultivating the students to become future leaders who can help solve the community’s challenges.
Atlanta-based design firm Cooper Carry brought together its K-12, Higher Education, and Science & Technology studios to collaborate on the design of Innovation Academy, which is centered around a three-story atrium dubbed Touchdown Commons that runs through the building’s spine and will serve as the school’s cafeteria and media center.
This multifunctional space will be outfitted with moveable seating and accessible technology to create an environment suitable for everything from eating lunch to robotics practice. The communal area is designed to connect with an outdoor courtyard and makerspace that’s visible through windows that allow for natural light to come into the classrooms.
Inside, the school’s corridor walls will be manufactured from a combination of glass windows and garage doors to promote transparency. Interior dividers will be made from stud walls. The school’s rooms will be constructed using a planning module with multiples of the same 11-ft wide by 30-ft deep configuration, to allow for user flexibility.
The building’s exterior brick and columns are designed to match the look of Alpharetta City Center, a 26-acre mixed use property that expanded the city’s downtown by six blocks and includes the Cooper Carry-designed Alpharetta City Library, which opened five years ago.
The three-story atrium in Innovation Academy, known as Touchdown Commons, will be a multifunctional space that connects to an outdoor courtyard.
The design plans for Innovation Academy were informed by public outreach sessions with the school’s faculty and local community members.
Cooper Carry is also working with Fulton County Schools to develop a sister STEM school in Fairburn, Ga., which could open during the 2021-22 school year.
Jacobs is the project manager and Barton Malow the GC on Innovation Academy, which is scheduled to open in August 2021, a year later than originally planned.
Superintendent Mike Looney told the Atlanta Journal Constitution last June that his staff needed more time to prepare before the school opened. “I want to ensure that there is a comprehensive educational structure in place before we recruit and place students in this program,” he stated. “If we want students to join a new effort like this, they and their parents deserve a comprehensive and detailed picture of what they will learn as part [of] this experience and how that experience will prepare them for college and a career.”
Indeed, next year Innovation Academy will be used as a hub for teacher and staff training.
Related Stories
| Oct 7, 2013
Geothermal system, energy-efficient elevator are key elements in first net-zero public high school in Rhode Island
The school will employ a geothermal system to heat and cool a portion of the building. Other energy-saving measures will include LED lighting, room occupancy sensors, and an energy-efficient elevator.
| Sep 24, 2013
8 grand green roofs (and walls)
A dramatic interior green wall at Drexel University and a massive, 4.4-acre vegetated roof at the Kauffman Performing Arts Center in Kansas City are among the projects honored in the 2013 Green Roof and Wall Awards of Excellence.
| Sep 19, 2013
What we can learn from the world’s greenest buildings
Renowned green building author, Jerry Yudelson, offers five valuable lessons for designers, contractors, and building owners, based on a study of 55 high-performance projects from around the world.
| Sep 19, 2013
6 emerging energy-management glazing technologies
Phase-change materials, electrochromic glass, and building-integrated PVs are among the breakthrough glazing technologies that are taking energy performance to a new level.
| Sep 19, 2013
Roof renovation tips: Making the choice between overlayment and tear-off
When embarking upon a roofing renovation project, one of the first decisions for the Building Team is whether to tear off and replace the existing roof or to overlay the new roof right on top of the old one. Roofing experts offer guidance on making this assessment.
| Sep 11, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 3 coverage
Day 3 coverage of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo, taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Sep 10, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 2 coverage
The BD+C editorial team brings you this real-time coverage of day 2 of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Sep 4, 2013
K-12 school design that pays off for students
More and more educators are being influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach to pedagogy, with its mantra of “environment as the third teacher”—an approach that gives Building Teams a responsibility to pay even closer attention to the special needs of today’s schools.
| Sep 4, 2013
Smart building technology: Talking results at the BUILDINGChicago/ Greening the Heartland show
Recent advancements in technology are allowing owners to connect with facilities as never before, leveraging existing automation systems to achieve cost-effective energy improvements. This BUILDINGChicago presentation will feature Procter & Gamble’s smart building management program.
| Sep 3, 2013
'School in a box' project will place school in San Diego public library
Thinking outside the box, LPA Inc. is designing a school inside a box. With an emphasis on three E’s—Engage, Educate, and Empower—e3 Civic High is now being constructed on the sixth and seventh floors of a public library in downtown San Diego. Library patrons will be able to see into the school via glass elevators, but will not have physical access to the school.