Spartanburg High School, South Carolina

Finnish design elements provided inspiration for the “joyful learning” aesthetic of the new Spartanburg High School–a design that McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture completed for the two-story public high school in 2019 after years of careful planning and consideration.

McMillan Pazdan Smith’s K-12 Studio worked closely with the Superintendent, the school district, the local community, and construction team to ensure that the building became the “third teacher” by giving students ample spaces to congregate for spontaneous creative exploration and collaboration.

Included in the new facility design was a 2500-seat multipurpose athletic arena, a 1000-seat full service performing arts complex (designed in conjunction with a world-renowned performance engineer to provide acoustics that far exceed those of a standard high school performance space), a complete complement of athletic fields, a college-style student center and cafeteria, and multiple outdoor courtyards that lead to a nature trail through preserved wetlands (with multiple natural ponds that also provide water retention).

Each of these spaces are designed to operate exclusively on the school schedule, so that the public can make use of the building for performances, conventions, and other events. A strong bond with the surrounding neighborhoods and the district is a main factor in the programming of the high school.

The school was also designed with sustainability top of mind and is now certified with 2 Green Globes® by Green Building Initiative® (GBI). Interior designer Lynne Wilson made sure that all new furniture had casters to maximize flexibility and make it easy to join tables together or space them further apart. The school’s spacious courtyard was redesigned as a tiered outdoor learning environment–one of the features that allowed Spartanburg High to remain open during COVID.

Another focus was college-readiness. The student center features a coffee shop and the same type of furnishings frequently seen on college campuses. Finnish-inspired furniture, such as swing sets arranged around tables, or stationary bicycle desks were included to encourage healthy movement and appeal to kinesthetic-tactile learners. One of the most popular new elements were the soundproof Nook study pods that were placed around the school.