Maricopa Unified School District’s governing board hired an architectural firm known for its master plan of the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai and designing Sedona Performing Arts Center to design Maricopa’s third middle school.

The board on Wednesday night hired Orcutt/Winslow, with offices in Phoenix, Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Indiana, Louisiana and Kentucky. The firm was hired to develop a master plan and architectural design for the new school.

The state has funded $31 million to construct the school on a site to be to be determined later this year. The board recently directed a site search committee to locate land options and make a recommendation.

The district will work with a real estate broker to identify 25- to 30-acre parcels within district boundaries, said MUSD spokesperson Mishell Terry.

Orcutt/Winslow has designed and master planned other Arizona projects, including Kiva Elementary School in Paradise Valley, Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center in Show Low, Banner Estrella Medical Center in Phoenix and the Navajo Nation Administrative Complex in Window Rock. Other notable Arizona works in the company’s portfolio include Bioscience High School in Phoenix, Estrella Mountain Community College Performing Arts Center in Avondale, Grand Canyon University College of Arts and Sciences in Glendale, and Chaparral High School in Scottsdale.

Construction for MUSD’s third middle school is scheduled to begin in the next 12 to 15 months, with an expected opening in July 2026.

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