At the outset of the design work for the new Orchard Mesa Middle School, Mesa County Valley School District 51 provided direction amounting to a complete shift for the District: we want this school to be awe-inspiring and to be a place where students and staff want to be.

The design for this new school took cues from the surrounding areas as well as the District’s learning model.  Incorporating elements from the Bookcliffs, the Grand Mesa, the river valleys, and, of course, Orchard Mesa itself, the school helps to provide a sense of place and belonging for all who enter.

From the unique refraction of light off the exterior metal panels to the flexible interior space allowing students to work in different styles to the detail of the columns referencing the orchard trees that once dominated the surrounding area, the school is designed to provide educational opportunities throughout.  Built on the existing school site in a manner that permitted the school year to continue, the construction was able to help build excitement and anticipation for those using the old facilities on a daily basis.

While it is a new building, the goals to instill a sense of value in the building users and to improve the learning environment will continue throughout the life of the facility.