Walker-Grant Middle School

Where Civil War battlefields meet rapid suburban growth in Fredericksburg, building a new middle school required navigating between preservation and progress. Originally planning an elementary school, Fredericksburg City Public Schools recognized a greater opportunity: establish the city's only middle school, ensuring every student would experience contemporary learning in a facility built for collaboration and growth.

Civic Presence

Walker-Grant's transparency and appropriate scale create an inviting presence rather than intimidating students and families. The two-story media center, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, establishes a visible landmark that communicates education's importance to the community. The building functions as both educational facility and community resource. Its integration with Fredericksburg's historical context acknowledges traditional aesthetics while embracing contemporary teaching methods.

The bus loop entrance also serves as an after-hours entrance, allowing students, family, and the community to easily access the main street corridor where public spaces like the gymnasium, media center, and flexible cafeteria and auditorium (auditeria) are located. This main street allows the academic wings to be secured during evening and weekend events, creating public and private zones.

Color and Community

A unified color palette brings the community together while giving each grade its distinct identity. Academic areas embrace calming jewel tones: jade for sixth grade, purple for seventh, and blue for eighth. These three hues converge in the media center and career and technical education (CTE) wing, spaces where students from every grade gather to learn. Orange, black, and gray school colors energize the gymnasium, auditeria, and main entrance. An orange band of color is woven through the academic wings and media center in the ceiling and furniture to tie in a primary school color and further establish community.

Student choice and voice shaped the design. Students voted on three gymnasium floor color and graphic options, ultimately selecting the current combination. Academic and athletic achievements share space with student artwork in first-floor display cases.

Flexible Learning Environments

Teacher resource rooms and conference areas enable educators to connect, exchange ideas, and develop teaching strategies, while shared collaboration spaces and teacher planning areas in each academic wing support professional growth and teamwork. Flexible spaces for group projects and interactive learning occupy extended areas within expanded corridor wings. The central courtyard and four distinct outdoor learning areas offer additional venues for community interaction.

The design anticipated future needs by incorporating adaptable spaces for emerging CTE programs. When the district received a grant for CTE equipment, the building was ready to accommodate these new learning opportunities, creating pathways that connect to planned CTE expansions at James Monroe High School and partnerships with Mary Washington University. Walker-Grant's flexible auditeria combines cafeteria and auditorium functions, accommodating dining, assemblies, performances, and community events each day.

Sustainable Design

Large windows and courtyards channel extensive natural light, decreasing dependence on artificial lighting and creating healthier learning conditions. Efficient HVAC systems with individual classroom thermostats and dimmable lighting respond to different lessons, varying times of day, and changing weather conditions. Extended learning areas and CTE spaces feature rubber flooring for acoustic control, while additional insulation in the music room ensures compliance with recommended STC ratings.

Heritage trees were preserved and historic structures respected during design development. Tree removal during construction was adjusted to accommodate the Northern long-eared bat migration. Photovoltaic-ready infrastructure reflects the commitment to renewable energy, and the furniture, fixtures, and equipment package was vetted in the red and sustainable furniture list. Students needing reflection time can access a sensory room, while staff can recharge in a dedicated wellness room.

Security Through Design

A Crime Prevention Through Sustainable Design (CPTED) review enhanced safety measures across the site and building. Security integrates into the educational environment without creating an institutional atmosphere. Classroom and hallway glazing enables passive supervision, providing clear staff sightlines. The secure central courtyard offers safe, visible learning space where activities remain easily monitored. Dispersed administrative offices and looping corridors facilitate efficient monitoring through architectural design rather than technological surveillance. After-hours locking systems enable community use while maintaining security through spatial planning.

‍