Modern building with horizontal siding, multiple windows, and a covered patio, surrounded by leafless trees and a grassy yard during sunset.

The Arthur Morgan School

Location: Celo Community, Yancey County, NC

Use: Classrooms, library, administrative offices

Siding: Hand-crafted shou sugi ban, charred on site

Arthur Morgan School has been a cornerstone of the Celo Community since 1962, and it's the reason Equinox owners Todd and Meghan first put down roots in the South Toe valley. When the school needed a new academic building to house its classrooms, library, and business offices, the design process was as intentional as the school itself: students, staff, board members, and the architect worked together by consensus to shape every aspect of the project, reflecting the values of equality and shared decision-making that have long defined AMS.

The building that emerged carries those values into its materials and making. The exterior is clad in shou sugi ban - each board charred on site by hand - a detail that speaks to both permanence and craft. Just as meaningful as what was built is who built it: former students, parents, and staff were on the crew, making the construction itself a community act.

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