ARMSTRONG MIDDLE SCHOOL

The Ecosystem
Armstrong is part of a network of schools in the Oktibbeha County area, and its pod-oriented teaching structure mimics that of nature's own ecosystem, embracing differences and uniting a family of students and teachers.

Addition + Subtraction
Education represents adding and subtracting in two important ways. One has a literal connotation, the learning of basic mathematics that will be forever part of each student's life. The other, more metaphorical in application, manifests itself in how children will continuously move through each pod every year, representing the ever-present fluidity of life through time. These two notions take on a physical body in the push and pull design of the building's shell and space plan allowing for improved circulation and an abundance of natural light.

The Hive
The design of each pod draws inspiration from the school's mascot, the yellow jacket. These insects, though best known for being pesky during picnic season, have remarkable determination and a selfless loyalty to their fellows. Each pod at Armstrong represents a hive that coexists with its surrounding ecosystem. Their private classrooms and lounge areas gives them autonomy while still remaining part of the greater whole, and the central grand staircase leading from the common spaces of the first floor represents the connection of all life through a shared environment.