Community

The new school is a replacement for the existing school and was built on the same site while the existing school was operational. The two-story school incorporates two learning neighborhoods–one on each floor–with each neighborhood including 12 studios, a professional learning center, two maker spaces, and small group break-out rooms to support 522 students. The campus includes raised garden beds, a reading garden, tree preservation, a cistern, outdoor classrooms, and a covered sports court.

In addition to accommodating rapid growth, the renovations and additions to the high school became opportunities to enrich and reinforce community culture, advance their educational model, and equip students for success. After nearly 40 years of reactive facility improvements, the existing 300,000 SF school was disjointed buildings, wings, and additions. Leveraging the community’s desire to remain a one high school district, the school has become a point of pride in a close-knit community.

A new high school was designed with three East-West wings: a two-story Academic Wing, a Fine Arts and Food Service Wing, and an Athletic Wing, closest to the stadium. The three wings are connected by a “Main Street” corridor through the center. The building orientation plays an important role in energy efficiency, minimizing openings on the East and West facing walls, significantly reducing utility costs. Outdoor spaces between the wings are secure Outdoor Learning Areas for students and faculty.

Collaboration & Innovation—Real world leader’ experiences (medical, automotive, entrepreneurship, etc.) influenced the design to deliberately combine early college and career preparation programs in one facility. The new district-wide facility, designed with students and community for the community, intentionally does not resemble any typical school. Partnerships informed the design to replicate the industries and learning environments to prepare students for their next phase of life.

This Agricultural Sciences facility was born with the realization of increasing expectations for student preferences, graduation requirements, and growth in the district and community usage. Serving the district’s K-12 population of over 87,000 students, this facility was built on the important historical aspects of the agriculture industry that has existed in this community for decades. This modernized structure incorporates instruction, rodeo, and a venue for community events.

This neighborhood elementary school has a campus-wide focus on literacy and serves three district special ed programs. Like its neighborhood, it has some age on it, but innovative thinking activated a hidden treasure. By rehabilitating a dark, dank concrete area with a district grant, they created an inclusive, activity-based, open-air learning environment. Equipment designed for multisensory learning enhances social, emotional, and academic discovery for children of all ages and abilities.

The district is in the petrochemical corridor in unincorporated Houston. It serves a richly diverse population. Known for industry, it traditionally has not been recognized for its schools. As a tight-knit community, the replacement of their high school (a 50-year-old building) on a new site presented bold opportunities. The rebirth of the high school was deeply embraced. It is iconic, a destination for personalized learning, and a symbol that all students deserve high-quality education.

The project is a renovation of the existing 48-year-old CTE Center. The curriculum focus is driven by the District’s vision to partner with local industries and create a talent pool for the next generation workforce. Refurbishment of the exterior included installation of metal panel cladding and a new entry. The existing outdated maze of interior spaces were replaced with new efficient, flexible, and organized modern learning spaces while keeping the existing structural system intact.