By Michelle Smyth, AIA, ALEP, LEED AP, NCARB��

Performing arts centers are more than performance halls. In the right hands, they become daily learning environments that spark creativity,��collaboration��and critical thinking. Across the country, school leaders are recognizing that arts education plays a pivotal role in preparing students for the future. In fact, students involved in the arts are����to earn academic recognition, and arts participation strengthens the skills students will use in every career.��

Richland 2 School District in Richland County, S.C., is putting that belief into practice. With more than 27,000 students, 81% of whom are already engaged in arts programs, the district created a campus anchored by a����that blends STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and the arts into a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) learning environment.����

The 1,175-seat theater hosts events of all types from classical music concerts to modern drama, while black box and dance studios double as instructional spaces. A welcoming, spacious lobby and outdoor performance areas extend the building’s reach into the community, ensuring it stays active well beyond the school day. These spaces may also be used for performances or��displays��and celebrations of student artwork.��

The Richland 2 School District’s approach shows that a performing arts center can be both an academic tool and a civic gathering place — but achieving that balance starts long before design development. The decisions made early in the process��determine��whether a facility can support student learning while��remaining��a destination for the community over its lifetime.����

Early Decisions That Shape Success��

The most successful performing arts centers start with careful planning long before construction begins. Creating a vision for the building that speaks to its action and service to��students��and the community may be fostered from stakeholder engagement at the beginning of the planning process.��

Site placement, adjacencies, circulation, and phasing all influence how well a building will serve students and the public over time. Some of the best designs consider how the space functions during the school day, supports after-hours use and adapts as programs grow.��

Schools with strong arts programs typically have higher attendance rates for both students and teachers, a benefit Lexington County, S.C., School District One sought in its White Knoll High School expansion. Initially, the plan was to build the performing arts center beside an existing classroom wing. Early in the process, however, the design team recommended a different approach: placing the facility in the center of campus.��

This single decision allowed the performing arts center and a two-story classroom wing to be built simultaneously. The approach��collapsed��a phased construction plan, saved a full year on the��schedule��and avoided the cost of��relocating��portables. The 1,000-seat theater now offers professional-quality performance space, while the adjacent classrooms house science labs, CTE programs and collaboration areas.����

Locating the performing arts center at the center of campus shortened travel times for students, improved safety by��consolidating��access points and kept construction on schedule while adding new academic facilities. It also��showcased��their new performing arts program in the heart of their campus.��

Designing for Flexibility and Community Impact��

Location is only one part of the equation.��Designing for��flexibility ensures the facility serves not just the school, but the wider community. That means creating spaces that can shift between school assemblies, professional productions,��conferences��and community events. It also means providing students with opportunities to learn both on stage and behind the scenes.��

Lexington 2 School District’s new performing arts center builds skills through both performance and technical training. The 1,500-seat theater features a full orchestra pit, manual rigging, overhead catwalks, and backstage support spaces from dressing rooms to a catering kitchen. Students gain practical experience in lighting,��rigging��and stage management that can carry into college or career pathways.��

The two-story grand lobby, lit by customizable color-changing fixtures, welcomes audiences for both school and community events. With spaces designed to host everything from district assemblies to regional performances, the center reinforces the idea that a performing arts center can be both a teaching tool and a cultural anchor.��

See more images and read more about transforming vision��into��long-term��value��in the November/December 2025 Technology edition of ���سԹ�.��

Michelle Smyth, AIA, ALEP, LEED AP, NCARB, is a Principal at McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture and a member of the ���سԹ� Editorial Advisory Board.��

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By Lindsey Coulter

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Huntsville City Schools has broken ground on a new shared campus that will house two rebuilt elementary schools, marking a major milestone in the district’s 10-year capital plan.

The project will replace Montview Elementary School and the Academy for Science and Foreign Language (ASFL) Elementary, a citywide STEM magnet program that will be reimagined and renamed when it moves to the new site. The campus will be constructed on Montview Elementary’s existing property, transforming the 18-acre site into a modern facility serving both neighborhood and magnet students.

The approximately $56 million project calls for a single 110,000-square-foot building, with each school occupying about 55,000 square feet. Both schools will serve students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Construction is scheduled to begin this month, and the campus is expected to open in August 2027.

Although they will share a building, the schools will operate in dedicated spaces tailored to their instructional needs. Montview Elementary will continue serving the Lee High School feeder pattern and include specialized classrooms, flex labs, a full-size gym, safe rooms and multiple age-appropriate playgrounds.

The new STEM magnet school will support students from across Huntsville and feature STEM laboratories, interactive teaching walls, flexible learning rooms and multi-use spaces aligned with its curriculum.

“This groundbreaking represents our promise in Huntsville City Schools to deliver the very best for students, and progress is already happening inside our classrooms each and every day,” Superintendent Dr. Clarence Sutton said. “On the recent state report cards, Montview Elementary rose to a B, and ASFL Elementary rose to an A. Our capital plan and strategic plan are working hand-in-hand to support students and empower teachers.”

The district credited its project partners, including architect McMillan Pazdan Smith, TCU Consulting Services and contractor First Team Inc.

District leaders said the campus will honor Montview’s long-standing presence while creating an innovative environment for future generations. The effort is part of Huntsville City Schools’ wider plan to modernize learning facilities and expand academic opportunities across the system.

McMillan Pazdan Smith is serving as architect for the $49.8 million construction contract. Max White is the project manager, and Randy Jones will serve as superintendent for the build.

This marks the second significant construction milestone for HCS in 2025, as HCS opened its new central office and Huntsville Center for Technology campus in August. The $60 million investment aims to strengthen district operations and expand career training opportunities for students and marked a major step in HCS’ long-term effort to modernize its infrastructure and enhance student preparedness for future careers.

The 40,000-square-foot central office now serves as the district’s administrative headquarters, consolidating roughly 150 employees under one roof and improving collaboration and streamlining operations.

Located on the same campus, the 81,000-square-foot Huntsville Center for Technology serves approximately 600 students. The career and technical education hub offers programs in industrial technology, welding, culinary arts, cosmetology, health sciences, precision machining and other career pathways. The project was designed by Nola Van Peursem Architects and was constructed by Lee Builders Inc.

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���سԹ� spoke with DLR Group Designer Scott Swanson about the project and its significance for the campus.

Q: What was the main goal of the project?

Swanson: Over the past 20 years, BenU has experienced exponential growth. Transforming from roughly 1,500 to more than 10,000 students, BenU has had to sustain and recreate itself to keep up with the changing needs of students. The vision for Daniel L. Goodwin Hall of Business was born out of the growth and global reach that BenU and the College of Business has celebrated for years. A dedicated place was needed to continue providing educational development for both the college and the university as a whole. Aside from offering 21 additional learning environments on campus, offices for the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs now have a home within the building. The facility also provides additional amenities for students, faculty and visitors, including a 600-person auditorium, a state-of-the-art trading lab and a large conference or banquet room overlooking campus.

Q: How will the new facility enhance partnerships with international corporations?

Swanson: The future of BenU is very bright. Technology and modern educational spaces within the Hall of Business building will assist the development of students who enter business programs. Plus, the facility creates opportunities for instantaneous connections with corporations or universities around the world. Through this interaction, the university will extend its reach further than ever before.

DLR Group designed a Center for Corporate Partnership (CCP), which includes an Executive Partner’s Suite, to bring local and worldwide businesses to campus for collaborative teaching and learning sessions. These spaces are primarily focused on development of undergraduate- and graduate-level students. The CCP is designed to host a variety of events like career fairs; student organizations; event management; hoteling for local, national and international businesses; and public or private events. For example, the Competency Assessment Room in this area is a multipurpose room for corporate employers, student-run business events, video coaching and project team rehearsals.

Q: What are some of the project’s key design elements?

Swanson: To express a global feel, the building needed to have a certain presence that showcased the future of BenU, while simultaneously respecting the history and tradition of the existing built environment. The Hall of Business is designed to contextually unite adjacent buildings and serve as a backdrop for the new Quad — an expanse of grass, plants and trees, benches, sidewalks and landmark-style lamps.

The interior spaces are strategically designed to promote flexibility, scalability, mobility and adaptability. Classrooms are designed with no limitations, and collaboration flows through the air media system, allowing every student to connect and share their work digitally and wirelessly. The 600-person auditorium gives the university a space unlike any other on campus. Tiered seating is focused toward a material-rich stage and surround that can be used for guest speakers, digital media experiences or an instructional lecture for students.

One of the most important and exciting spaces is the main lobby. This two-story volume gives an incredible first impression of what visitors might expect throughout the building. Porcelain tile floors, stone and wood walls, backlit glass, full-color scrolling stock tickers and a large-scale TV wall are a few of the features to welcome students and visitors to the space. This area also serves as the major connector throughout the building. An open-feature stair leads to the second level, where a full-service Starbucks and student lounges can be found. At this level, a sky bridge connects to the adjacent building that holds additional offices and classrooms, as well as the campus library.

Q: What challenges did the project encounter, and how did your team navigate them?

Swanson: The biggest challenge was to ensure the vision was maintained while aligning the scope, schedule and budget. To achieve this, DLR Group designers worked diligently with the university’s Department of Planning and Construction along with International Contractor’s Inc., who acted as the construction manager. Having all of the parties actively involved allowed our team to strategize and adjust as needed to extract the most informed and successful solutions through the process.

Q: What green or sustainable elements were included in the design?

Swanson: Our design features an array of sustainable elements, including bio-filtration rain gardens for stormwater treatment; a chilled beam system for low-energy consumption; renewable and recycled content in the finishes; natural daylight in learning environments; and LED light fixtures for energy efficiency.
 

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