Willis ISD—Willis High School Career & Technology Center, Performing Arts Center, and Agricultural Science Center
Architect: Stantec
Located in a small rural town, the district’s only high school needed an update. The new Career & Technology Center (CTC), Performing Arts Center (PAC), Agricultural Science Center (ASC) transform the aging high school into a unified campus, incorporating flexible learning spaces across three new facilities to foster individual discovery and collaboration among the entire student body. The transparency throughout serves as an engagement tool for the numerous career pathways the programs offer.
Design
“An outdated existing high school presented challenges that demanded new modern facilities to accommodate the constant evolution of 21st century curriculum A flexible, centrally located commons can be used for a variety of purposes including industry-related presentations, independent studying, and student dining The new facility’s design revitalized the character of the aging high school, and provided a professional setting appreciated by students and staff”
Value
“With a growing student population, the superintendent’s vision engaged the team in a series of meetings that resulted in the best value for the community Rather than build a facility strictly for 9th grade, a comprehensive academic campus was designed for use by all students Outdated CTC areas now house academics and the performing arts program; thus, providing additional capacity The addition of modern CTC spaces increases the over-all capacity and support students’ career interests”
Sustainability
“Site conditions required the buildings to be oriented north-south, however openings to the west were minimized through opaque surfaces and shading devices, minimizing heat gain The design of the new facilities drastically improved student wellness such as pedestrian-friendly campus, natural daylight permeating throughout the interiors, and visibility/connection to the outdoor spaces and greenery Low maintenance, durable materials were used on the interiors and exteriors of the buildings”
Community
“The district has received positive state-wide attention with the opening of these new CTC, Agriculture, and Performing Arts facilities Programs that the students had interest in were collected via survey, these results helped drive the design of new CTC programs The campus exceeded students’ needs by providing seamless education for college and career preparedness Students directly engage with the members of the community through a variety of programs and projects”
Planning
“Holistic planning facilitated the realization of an integrated high school program with comprehensive career pathways providing real world opportunities for students Thoughtful design and circulation solutions were achieved through a series of strategic master planning meetings with the district The interior layout of the building was organized to allow for curriculum flexibility, support spaces normally anchored to their career programs are now multi-use for a variety of education purposes”
School Transformation
“A superintendent’s vision to provide relevant and exciting opportunities coupled with a comprehensive planning approach, produced a connected high school campus to serve the community and tomorrow’s learners Outdated and undersized programs were transformed to grow and flourish in modern, 21st century spaces This project set the standard of quality for future facilities throughout the district”
Star of Distinction Category Winner