Blythewood High School

Richland, South Carolina

Completion Date: 2005
Square Footage: 294,000

Awards:
Educational Facility Design Award of Excellence, 2007
Committee on Architecture for Education, AIA

Merit Award, 2006
AIA, Columbus Chapter

Finalist for the Annual MacConnell Award, 2006
Council of Educational Facility Planners International

Blythewood High School is the fourth high school in Richland School District Two, a progressive, nationally-recognized district located in suburban Columbia, South Carolina. The high school facility was planned for 1,700 students, but can accommodate up to 2,000 students. The school is a flexible, learner-centered facility designed to serve both the student population and the community-at-large.

The building is broadly organized into academic and arts/wellness areas, connected by a cluster of central community spaces. The academic areas contain classroom space for both core and specialty curriculum, including science and vocational technology labs. The core classrooms are clustered into four academic houses, each supported by its own grouping of satellite administration, resource and breakout areas. The central community spaces include the media center, commons/cafeteria and cyber cafe and are located at the heart of the school near the main lobby making them easily accessible for daily student use as well as after-school, evening or weekend events. Beyond the central community spaces, Blythewood has ample arts and wellness areas including a 500-seat auditorium, music/art/drama classrooms, a 2,000-seat collegiate basketball gymnasium, auxiliary gym, locker rooms and satellite administrative rooms.