K-12 Education
St. Petersburg, Florida
Pinellas County Schools
78,500 GSF
Melrose Elementary School is a complete campus replacement project designed by Williamson Design Associates. Melrose Elementary is a Journalism Magnet School. Therefore, the new design was developed to enhance the curriculum in the media/learning center by providing specific spaces for news, writing, and broadcasting.
The goal of the project was to consolidate the learning environments into two buildings, and to enhance safety and security by enclosing the courtyard. WDA combined the “activity” based spaces such as dining, media, music, and art into a separate building to encourage interaction between the students, parents, and the local community.
The entrance serves as a beacon to the community and highlights the Journalism Magnet School in its design. The main entry corridor, “Story Lane” prominently displays students’ work. A second-story walkway connects the classroom building to the media center located on the second floor of the main building. The Center for Journalism and Multimedia Studies, located on the second floor, includes a TV studio, two multimedia technology classrooms, and media center with flexible seating arrangements adaptable for collaborative and individual learning.
To provide a more secure campus environment, a central courtyard is surrounded by a 2-story, 24-classroom building, and a 2-story building containing administration, media, dining and multipurpose, art, music, and the community room. The site work consisted of a new covered play court with supporting services and revised bus and parent drop off loops. The project was completed in phases while keeping the existing school campus fully occupied.
The community room providing wraparound services such as family enrichment and education activities, community leadership, adult education, and social services. Positive engagement of community partners was essential to the success of Melrose Elementary.