Dr. Marian G. Lacey Academy

Little Rock

United States

The Dr. Marian G. Lacey K-8 Academy represents a complete transformation of the former John L. McClellan High School. Replacing an aging 53-year-old structure, the modern 238,000 square-foot (22,111 square-meters), three-story facility was designed to foster learning and community.

At the heart of the new facility is an interactive library rotunda, an exciting space that inspires curiosity and collaboration. The defining feature of the open space is a dramatic central tree column that supports the rotunda’s double-tiered roof. The tree column serves as both the architectural centerpiece and a structural icon symbolizing growth and knowledge.

To achieve the column’s organic form and uncompromising strength, the design team relied on CAST CONNEX custom steel castings. These precision-engineered components allowed the branching geometry to be realized without sacrificing performance or aesthetics.

Owner: Little Rock School District

Architect: Cromwell Architects Engineers, Inc.

Structural Engineer: Cromwell Architects Engineers, Inc.

General Contractor: Clark Contractors, LLC

Steel Fabricator: All Steel Construction, Inc.

The highly complex details of the tree column’s connections made steel castings the ideal solution when compared to traditional fabrication methods. The advanced engineering and manufacturing expertise from CAST CONNEX offered:

• Design Freedom: Smooth, sculptural forms that emulate the natural branching of a tree.

• Structural Integrity: Superior strength and stiffness for long-term durability of connections.

• Seamless Fabrication Integration: Connections that simplify fabrication and align with finishing requirements of architecturally exposed structural steel (AESS).

The result is a library rotunda that feels alive, branching upward towards the future.

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Bowstring trusses featuring the pre-engineered CAST CONNEX Universal Pin Connectors support the perimeter curtain wall of the library rotunda. The Universal Pin Connectors are located at the base of the trusses and deliver strength and precision while harmoniously expressing the architecturally exposed structure.

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