The David T. Howard Middle School built in 1924 is located in the historic Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta.

The most unique part of this project is the rehabilitation of a nearly 100-year-old school building in a historic urban neighborhood near the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr. The character of the historic school is maintained by rehabilitating the exterior brick skin and fitting classroom space within the existing school layout.

The four-story original building contains classroom space, with the room layout reflecting the original layout as much as possible. Second, third, and fourth floors house core classrooms. The original corridor walls are kept, and as many classroom demising walls as possible are maintained.

The building addition includes larger program elements and additional core and science classrooms wrapping one side of the existing building and adjoins it with circulation elements that connect all building areas and keep the brick of the historic building visible.

The existing gymnasium built in 1942 was also renovated and remains a gymnasium and assembly space. Original steel windows were refurbished, wood floors were replaced, and the original wood benches restored. Existing locker rooms were redesigned to provide modern locker facilities. A new two-story corridor at the rear of the building connects to the new glass bridge circulation system for access to the classroom portions of the building.

The media center is designed as the heart of the facility, placed in the existing courtyard and lifted above the courtyard ground plane to the second level. The media center is visible and accessible from all parts of the school and is wrapped in yellow painted cladding to enhance the visibility of the structure.

Existing drawings provided by the school district indicated a front portion of the building that was designed but never built. The project team designed a form in this location that closely replicates the original design of brick arches and details similar to the existing building and serves as the administrative functions for the building. This new addition also marks a secure and identifiable main entrance to the school.