Combination Schools
Southwest PK-8 School
Fanning Howey and Pure Architects partnered with Detroit Public Schools Community District to design the only new, ground-up school in the district’s master plan.
With no existing staff, the District created an internal stakeholder team of departmental leaders to provide insight to the design team. Additionally, the design team led a discovery process with the broader community, exploring everything from Montessori to Performing Arts models to define the school’s “Why.” Through research into neighborhood demographics and weekly design workshops, the team created a culturally responsive program. Transforming a long-vacant, fire-damaged site, the project became a signature example of community engagement and a new standard for DPSCD schools.
In partnership with PURE Architects.
Expertise
Client
Detroit Public Schools Community District
Location
Detroit, MI
Scope
75,000 New SF
Challenges
Align educational vision with community engagement throughout the design process
Deliver creative, high-impact design solutions within a restricted budget
Design for multiple age groups in a single building
Front Entrance
A state-of-the-art, two-story, 75,000-square-foot modern structure designed with an emphasis on cultural identity, safety, and community integration.
Band Room
Music suite, featuring custom acoustic wall panels, integrated instrument storage, and a flexible rehearsal floor.
Media Center
The Media Center is an open, flexible hub that combines traditional library functions with modern collaborative spaces.
Student Dining
A flexible, student dining space with raised ceilings and acoustic clouds, designed to shift from a high-capacity cafeteria to a large community gathering area.
Classroom
The front of each room features a seamless array of dry-erase writing surfaces and integrated, wall-mounted interactive presentation displays to optimize 21st-century learning.
Playground / Sports
The campus includes a large green space with a soccer field, basketball court, and primary playgrounds.
Our design approach balances flexible spaces with a strong sense of safety, from the acoustically separated arts corridor to the protected courtyard for younger students, creating an environment where students can thrive.
