Virginia Tech students design a new look for vacant middle school

This semester, a group of Virginia Tech students are helping to transform a former middle school in Pulaski County into affordable housing for seniors in the community.

The students — studying a variety of subjects, including residential environments and design, property management, real estate and interior design — are in a capstone residential design class in the Department of Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management. They are creating designs, evaluating rental rates, and more for the former Dublin Middle School. The school closed in 2021 and merged with Pulaski County Middle School.

Lisa Tucker, department head, is teaching the residential design class.

“I’m using a project-based learning approach,” said Tucker. “So a lot of what the students are learning about is how to work together in a team, how to communicate, how to resolve conflict. Out of that process, they are able to get a better product than if they had done it as individual projects."

The students are proposing eight designs for apartments and for a community space, restaurant, and property management offices. They also are conducting a feasibility study, evaluating demographics and rental rates, and discussing how to market the property.

The project includes students across Virginia Tech who are studying in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Pamplin College of Business, and the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design.

Once solutions are finalized, Pulaski County will use them as inspiration for the property’s senior living design.

“They’re learning how to solve problems for themselves and have uncomfortable conversations,” said Tucker. “This will be essential for when they go out to get a job one day.”

Through this project, students have access to transformational opportunities and experiences in their field of study, which is among the goals of Virginia Tech Advantage.