New Wonder Junior High School for West Memphis School District

2501 East Broadway Avenue, West Memphis, Arkansas 72301 United States

Building Area (sf): 112,392

Completion: October 2023

Architect of Record:

ETFC Architects

PIC :: R. Ladd Garey
PM :: Matt V. Sihvonen
Team :: Kathryn Westervelt, Brian Cooper, Nick Pirani

• Owner/Client:
• General Contractor: CMAR :: F&F Construction, Inc.
• Electrical: Food Service :: Fisher and Associates, Inc.
  Structural :: Chad Stewart and Associates, Inc.
  Civil :: Sorrell-Smith Engineering Consultants, LLC
  Mechanical/Plumbing/Electrical/Fire Pro :: Building Systems Group
  Lighting :: Perkin-Everitt Lighting + Controls
• Engineering:
  
• Other:
  
• Photography:
  1 - Title on Image. Photo by Joe Luther.
  2 - Titles on Images. Photos by Joe Luther.
  3 - Title on Image. Photo by Joe Luther.
  4 - Titles on Images. Photos by Joe Luther.
  5 - Title on Image. Photo by Joe Luther.
  6 - Titles on Images. Photo on left by Matt V Sihvonen. Other photos by Joe Luther.
  7 - Title on Image. Photo by Joe Luther.
  8 - Titles on Images. Photos by Joe Luther.
  9 - Titles on Images. Diagrams by Matt V Sihvonen.
  10 - Titles on Images. Diagrams by Matt V Sihvonen.
  

Located in West Memphis, Arkansas, the New Wonder Junior High School transforms a blighted 13-acre urban site on Broadway Avenue into a dynamic learning environment that blurs the line between indoors and nature.

The New Wonder Junior High School for the West Memphis School District is set to replace two of the district’s historic junior high schools, East and Wonder.

The 110,000 square foot facility is designed for a strong connection between outdoor and indoor spaces, encouraging interaction with nature throughout the school day. Strategic daylighting principles will reduce energy costs while increasing student and teacher performance. The school serves 623 students in grades 7-9 with high-tech classrooms, flexible breakout spaces, outdoor learning spaces, indoor/outdoor PE facilities, secure courtyard, media center, health center and full commercial kitchen.

The 13-acre urban site on Broadway Avenue requires sensitivity to the existing street materiality, rhythm and scale. The north façade responds with a series of two-story brick and corrugated metal volumes which are broken down by shifts in material and plane. The West façade, facing the side access road, serves as the front door. It introduces large expanses of perforated metal and glass offering a layered openness that invites students and visitors to its spacious daylit gallery.

The interior spaces are flooded with natural light and color. The vivid palette is carefully curated to boost student and teacher moods, increase attentiveness and stimulate active participation. Intensive consideration to spatial layouts, adjacencies and connections negates acoustical conflicts within the program. Simplified, efficient wayfinding creates safer, controlled circulation patterns in case of an emergency event.

The main entry, student gallery, kitchen, dining hall, gymnasium and applicable support spaces can be opened to the local community after hours without access to the school-only spaces. As the sun sets, the perforated metal ribbon shifts from a semi-opaque solar shield into a semi-transparent veil transforming the student gallery into a highly visible public lobby, inviting further community participation.