Willard Middle School

Willard Middle School serves 1,350 students in Loudoun County. It is the second iteration of a middle school prototype MTFA developed for the district, and adapting it to a new site gave the team a chance to refine the design and give the school an identity of its own. The main entry opens onto a welcoming civic plaza framed by the auditorium and administration wings, anchored by a sundial tower that lights up at night as a beacon for the school. Public and assembly spaces sit along the front of the building where the community can reach them easily, with separate entrances so the academic wings stay secure during after-hours use. Distinct masonry patterns express the different uses inside and break down the scale of the building, while glass towers mark the points of entry.

Inside, the academic program is organized by grade level, with core teaching areas grouped into distinct house wings. Each house has its own distributed administrative offices, support spaces, and an open locker commons filled with natural light. At the heart of the school, the media center frames views from the lobby into an enclosed courtyard that provides outdoor learning space and brings daylight to the surrounding classrooms. Flexible shared spaces throughout create opportunities for learning and community outside the traditional classroom setting.

The project was designed to the standards of the Virginia Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) and is Energy Star Certified.