Campus Master Plan
Midland School

Master plan and CUP Amendment for Midland School proposes new academic, dormitory, faculty residence and support/service buildings as well as new circulation and infrastructure improvements for a full campus renewal. 

Located in Los Olivos, California on a 2,800-acre campus, Midland School is a college preparatory boarding school, serving grades 9-12, founded in 1932 and home to up to 100 students. Midland’s ethos of “needs not wants” are rooted in the school’s foundational traditions of teaching students how to live simply and deeply connected to the natural world. Blackbird and Midland’s work developed, refined, and brought to fruition the preceding master planning efforts of Walker-Macy. Key themes of the master plan include preserving the school’s rustic/informal ranch simplicity, integrating the buildings and site into the natural landscape, and designing toward a net-zero energy future of environmental stewardship.

 

“Planning and design is a process, one requiring a deft hand at managing many stakeholders, without losing sight of a grand vision (or the budget & schedule). The Blackbird team has the project management skill to see their great designs through to fruition.”

Christopher Barnes, Head of School, Midland School

Share:
A comprehensive architectural master plan for the Midland School campus renewal. The diagram uses colored overlays to designate specific zones: "Academic + Social Core" in purple, "Faculty Housing" in blue, student residential "Yards" in green, and "Athletics" in orange. The plan also highlights infrastructure like future solar fields and main campus access from Figueroa Mountain Road.
A detailed architectural site plan for the Midland School campus renewal. The diagram shows clusters of "C1" and "C2" residential cabins organized around designated "Frosh," "Soph," and "Junior" courtyards. Labeled areas include a central restroom and laundry facility, a revitalized BBQ area, and sports fields, all integrated among preserved oak and sycamore trees.
An aerial architectural rendering of a cluster of small, rustic-style cabins and a larger central academic building at Midland School. The structures feature dark-pitched roofs and are arranged around circular, landscaped courtyards with native trees, emphasizing a simple, ranch-inspired design integrated into the natural landscape.
An architectural perspective rendering of a student residential courtyard at Midland School. A modern, wood-clad cabin with clerestory windows sits in the center, flanked by smaller structures with covered porches and Adirondack chairs. Sketch-style figures walk along a paved path bordered by planters and dense greenery
An architectural rendering of a two-story wooden faculty residence at Midland School. The building features dark vertical wood siding, stone accents at the base, and a shaded front porch. A winding path leads to the entrance through a landscape of native grasses and pale green trees under a clear blue sky.
An architectural rendering of a two-story wooden faculty residence at Midland School. The building features dark vertical wood siding, stone accents at the base, and a shaded front porch. A winding path leads to the entrance through a landscape of native grasses and pale green trees under a clear blue sky.


Blackbird Team | Adam Sharkey, Ken Radtkey, Liqiang Huang, Nazanin Parhoodeh, Raj Gajjar, Shaheen Ghazvinizadeh, Stefan Farmazon
Landscape Architect | Greg Donovan
Structural Engineer | Haller Engineering and Ashley & Vance Engineering, Inc.
Electrical Engineer | Alan Noelle Engineering
Mechanical Engineer | Mechanical Engineering Consultants
Civil Engineer | Coast Engineering & Survey, Inc.
Planning Consultant | Suzanne Elledge Planning & Permitting Services, Inc.
Owner Representative/Project Manager | Tynan Group
Arborist | Bill Spiewak and Associates