April 20, 2021

Spiezle Architectural Group Completes Watchung Hills Media Center Conversion to a Modernized Learning Commons

AIA New Jersey Member Firm Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., an employee-owned, award-winning, full-service architectural, interior design, landscape architecture, and planning firm, is proud to announce that it has completed work with the Watchung Hills Regional High School District to modernize the existing Watchung Hills Regional High School Media Center in Warren, NJ to a state-of-the-art learning commons. The new design helps incorporate the latest technology and caters to a wide range of learning styles.

“The project has been a great success and created some amazing spaces for our students. We began with a vision, and the result is even better than expected – from the layout to the furniture to the colors, it all looks great,” said Elizabeth C. Jewett, Ph.D., Superintendent of the Watchung Hills Regional High School District. “It was a truly collaborative effort by all involved with creative financing that resulted in a net-zero impact to taxpayers. Spiezle listened to everything we were trying to achieve in that space and successfully incorporated all aspects of our requirements,” said Timothy Stys, Business Administrator of the Watchung Hills Regional High School District.

The Learning Commons was designed to be the heart of the school and is a place where students, faculty, community, and education collide, creating an environment that prepares students for the future by mirroring the higher education environment.

The new space includes flexible space for teacher-led instruction, self-guided instruction, and collaboration, instructional space, quiet space, collaboration space, a podcast room, TV studio, VR Lab, Makers technologies such as 3D printers, tech desk, and a café integrated into the school’s culinary program with supporting grab and go food counter. The furniture played a significant role in making the space agile and autonomous, and the walls are movable to increase active learning.

“Partnering with the Watchung Hills Regional High School District to create a refreshed, inspired learning space has been an honor,” said Steven Siegel, Principal of Spiezle. “This space and project have been a huge success, and we know this new environment will help students and faculty thrive for years to come. Education is one of our core markets, and we are happy to construe our thoughts and incorporate trends to design and build impactful spaces.”

Watchung Hills Regional High School is a regional public high school serving students in the suburban communities of Green Brook, Long Hill, Warren, and Watchung. For more information, visit: www.whrhs.org

About Spiezle Architectural Group

Spiezle Architectural Group is an award-winning, full-service architectural and planning firm. Founded in 1954, the firm is known for innovative design, financially responsible solutions and personalized service. Spiezle serves academic, senior living, acute healthcare, corporate/commercial, government, hospitality, landscape architecture, electrical engineering, urban planning, multi-family, enhance construction administration, recreational and religious clients. Spiezle is listed in the Top 100 Green Design Firms by Engineering News-Record and the Top 300 U.S. Architecture Firms by Architectural Record. Learn more at www.spiezle.com.

Architects are creative professionals, educated, trained, and experienced in the art and science of building design, and licensed to practice architecture. Their designs respond to client needs, wants and vision, protect public safety, provide economic value, are innovative, inspire and contribute positively to the community and the environment. Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through a dynamic network of more than 250 chapters and more than 95,000 member architects and design professionals, the AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards. The AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation, and world. The organization’s local chapter, AIA New Jersey, has served as the voice of the architectural profession in the Garden State since 1900. Based in Trenton, AIA New Jersey has over 2,000 members across six sections. For more information, please visit http://www.aia-nj.org

By Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, AIA NJ Advocacy Consultant | Posted in Architecture in NJ | Tagged: #K12, #LearningCommons, #SpiezleArchitectureGroup, #WatchungHillsRegionalHS | Comments (0)