Art Meets Craft

The new building’s design incorporates low and interesting roof lines, roof eave brackets, dormers, Craftsman style window details, shingle siding above brick foundations, tapered columns, and porch elements at the major entrances. Landscaping installations were designed to enhance the Old Beach Neighborhood streetscape with pedestrian friendly sidewalks and indigenous plants. Virginia Beach Middle School is connected by a winding path though natural landscaping to the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia (CAC) and will share spaces and art curricula. The arts wing has been designed to facilitate after-school and summer use with four multi-purpose art labs, dedicated storage for CAC, and a multi-purpose art gallery. Virginia Beach Middle School students will benefit from on-site collaboration with local and nationally recognized artists - the first program of its kind for the City. The project included a complete revitalization of Beach Gardens Park to serve as supplemental playfields for team sports and physical education.