The new PAC will complement an existing facility at Harbor Lights Middle School, expanding the district’s capability to grow student performers as well as the potential to host professional performing companies. The scope includes an approximately 56,000-square-foot addition to the North High School centered around a 1,200-seat center focused on a stage with a full-fly loft. This premier performance program is augmented by a feature entrance lobby and secondary performance space, as well as a breadth of support spaces to ensure a high-functioning and flexible facility. The district was interested fundamentally in a building that is resilient and durable, but that conveys a high-end, professional performance venue for the community. In addition to the main stage, multiple areas within the center double as performance / multi-use spaces, including the front entrance lobby, the balcony space, and a monumental staircase in the lobby.

Wood treatments throughout bring a warmer, professional aesthetic to the performance venue, and layering less resilient materials and finishes slightly out of reach ensures they won’t be susceptible to damage. Structural concrete block is placed in strategic locations for durability. Most rooms are opaque and acoustically controlled for practice and performance, while glass is an important feature in the lobby area, establishing a welcoming transparent view into the center’s foyer from the road.

Supported by a 2019 bond initiative, the West Ottawa Performing Arts Center – much like the student performers and artists who will occupy the space – is a source of pride for the community and a facility that will become a central hub for the arts.

One of the key principles guiding the design of Edgerton Trails was the creation of spaces where learning and collaboration are always on display. Glass windows and double doors into the adjoining extended learning areas allow students and staff to feel connected to the entire grade-level community. These dedicated spaces give teachers and students a place to engage in large group learning and play.

At the heart of Edgerton Trails is the learning commons, a vibrant media center that serves as the school’s central hub. The commons is designed for large-scale instruction and collaboration, providing direct access to the STEM room and art room. Here, students can prepare for future instruction using elements of the SCALE-UP education model used by Rockford’s high school students.

Five new middle school classrooms, two dedicated small group rooms organized by subject, and extended learning areas will provide room for over 200 additional students. The new learning environments are intentionally designed to be flexible, with built-ins for display and storage, technology and tack boards for visual learning, and gathering spaces that foster connection and collaboration. These spaces can also accommodate science curriculum, offering hands-on, future-ready experiences for students in Pre-K through 8th grade. 

The project will also include renovations to the school’s existing main entryway and classrooms, a refreshed media center, a new teacher workroom, and updated outdoor areas for events and recreation. The playground equipment will be modernized, with new structures for Pre-K students, and new spaces will be created for both instructional learning and informal outdoor exploration. A new playfield adjacent to campus will also act as a community park and provide flexible green space for GHCS students. It was important for GHCS to grow in their current space and remain a neighborhood school that continues to meet the needs of its students while also maintaining a presence in the community. 

The team gained valuable insights from internal and external stakeholders, including the leadership team, enrollment team, marketing team, current students, alumni, faculty, and staff. This helped us understand Washington College’s unique identity and how to position it competitively in the higher education landscape. Through these insights, we discovered why students choose to attend Washington College, how to expand into new markets for Washington College, and what prospective students want to know about Washington College.

With this data, we developed strategic drivers to guide the creation of an enrollment strategy. This phase involved leveraging both internal and external research to shape the communication strategy. Our roadmap included content for emails, postcards, and SMS texts, along with a communications calendar and metrics for evaluating success and identifying areas for improvement.

Although regional differences necessitated running three separate campaigns, our “Not that Washington” campaign quickly proved successful. This campaign effectively differentiated Washington College from other institutions with the same namesake and clarified its location in Maryland. Our digital marketing efforts significantly boosted brand awareness, and our email marketing campaign generated a substantial number of qualified inquiries. Following the launch of the campaigns, we built reports within the CRM to enable the Washington College team to easily track the success of each campaign.

By engaging with key stakeholders and developing a comprehensive enrollment strategy—which included list buying, digital marketing recommendations, a communication plan, and CRM optimization—we crafted creative assets and measured the effectiveness of each effort. This holistic approach significantly boosted both brand awareness and qualified leads for Washington College.

The commons area, a central hub for the school, features inviting hospitality with banquette seating, ample views to the exterior and warm wood finishes that accent the school’s color palette. It includes a coffee kiosk/concessions area near the gymnasium, a ticketing area, and an exterior patio for student gatherings, quiet areas, secondary eating spaces, and worship events. This space is designed to be welcoming to parents, family, alumni, and students alike.

With a focus on accessibility, the renovation ensures that the entire facility is welcoming and functional for all users. The design also supports the school’s master planning goals, aiming to accommodate up to 400 building users at the high school and create a modern and inviting environment that aligns with the evolving educational landscape.

Holland Heights Elementary has partnered with the Outdoor Discovery Center Education Network to provide students with a nature-based learning experience that will help them learn, read, and grow.The school’s design features extensive outdoor learning spaces, ensuring that students can engage with nature year-round. Each grade-level neighborhood has themes inspired by natural environments—the wetlands, forest, and dunes—and includes extended learning areas connected to the outdoors. The school’s site boasts numerous outdoor learning features, including a spacious playground, soccer field, and a natural hill with stepping walkways.

The building wings create courtyard-like areas with learning circles equipped with power and furniture, and covered areas for outdoor classes and play. The site also features a dry creek bed, which aids in drainage and stormwater management while offering opportunities for water studies and outdoor exploration. The outdoor areas are designed to provide direct views from classrooms, promoting transparency and a seamless connection with nature.

The interior of Holland Heights Elementary was designed with natural light and transparency in mind. Glass elements are used throughout to maintain a bright and open atmosphere. The media center is centrally located, offering visibility in multiple directions within the building. Each neighborhood’s design reflects its nature theme, with specific wall coverings and entrances that enhance the nature-based learning experience.

An expediated timeline required us to quickly translate the existing brand into a digital space that was both functional and true to the new brand identity, ensuring a cohesive and engaging user experience. Despite changes within the client’s creative team, we successfully elevated the brand through design improvements and increased the overall functionality of their website by implementing a new CMS platform. This update will continue to provide flexibility for the USC Upstate team and provides opportunities for continuous web growth.

The project resulted in significant improvements for both the client and their web users. By streamlining the number of pages, the website has become more manageable for the internal team, while improved search functionality makes the most important information easier to find for incoming students. This process has also enhanced internal web support, making the website a more useful tool for the College. The GMB team was able to implement a custom-built higher education WordPress theme developed internally by the team for this project. Since implementation, the overall amount of time each web user engages with this site has increased significantly.

The new website has successfully met the goals set by USC Upstate, enhancing their brand’s digital presence and improving user experience for prospective students.