By Sanai Jackson Published November 11, 2025
In October, Ellen Ochoa Middle School was acknowledged for its innovative design concept by receiving the 2025 AIA Maryland Public Building of the Year award.This prestigious award represents the highest honor, recognizing excellence in sustainability, functionality, and design. Ellen Ochoa Middle School earned this distinction from a highly competitive pool of 160 applicants across Maryland.
The Department of Capital Programs had the privilege of interviewing Grimm + Parker’s Principal Architect, Jonathan Hill, and Co-President Kieran Wilmes to discuss their design philosophy for Ellen Ochoa Middle School. Throughout the conversation, both parties discussed the importance of community engagement in the process. The design phase began with a conversation between park officials and community members on ways to integrate Glenridge Park into the final design concept. In addition to the design, facilities are required to receive at least a LEED Silver certification for their sustainability effort in compliance with Prince George’s County’s Climate Change Action plan. “Any school is truly a community building. And they’ll serve the principles that we develop while we’re meeting with the community, which will serve as touch points throughout the entire project process to make sure that we’re on track, that we understand why decisions were made, and can follow through with them in the completion of the design (Jonathan Hill, Principal at Grimm + Parker).”
The breathtaking facility successfully accommodates 1,200 students while incorporating views of Glenrige Park. This collaboration is emphasized by installing the large curtain-style windows around the building to increase natural lighting. It reduces the need for artificial lighting while providing a clear view of the tree canopy. “We wanted to make sure that the school and park really integrated as one. So things like incorporating and stitching together the pathway system, so that folks that were strolling through the park, whether they were in and around the school and around the school or in the park, there’ll be a seamless transition between those experiences (Kieran Wilmes, Co-President at Grimm and Parker).”
Sustainability being one of the core principles, Grimm + Parker secured a LEED Gold certification. Ellen Ochoa Middle School is the first green school in Prince George’s County to be honored with a high-level design award.The dedication to a sustainable learning environment was evident in the implementation of solar panels on the roof and a geothermal HVAC system. This ensures that the school is only producing as much energy as it consumes, drastically reducing its energy consumption. “The project was not originally conceived as a net zero project, but through a comprehensive and inclusive design process with the county, we discovered that there was an opportunity here to make the building not only net zero ready, but fully net zero compliant by adding not only photovoltaics on the roof, but a geothermal HVAC system, which dramatically reduced the demand load of the system (Kieran Wilmes, Co-President at Grimm and Parker).”
Inside the building, the commitment to a sustainable learning environment continues through an open-concept design. The design connects the Media Center and Cafeteria while ensuring a quiet and controlled space. The team employed special materials that would minimize sound traveling to other areas. “One of the tactics we used was to create non-parallel walls in the student commons that tend to reduce the echo and the reverberation time in the space. The other is diligent use of absorptive materials (Kieran Wilmes, Co-President at Grimm and Parker).”
Along with the AIA Public Building of the Year award, Ellen Ochoa Middle School has also been honored with the AIA Maryland Citation Award for Excellence in Design, the AIA Potomac Valley Commendation Award, and the ENR Mid-Atlantic Regional Best Projects Award of Merit. Continuing their long-term partnership with PGCPS, Grimm + Parker is set to design the new High Point High School facility, which will house 2600 students in Northern Prince George’s County.
