The way societies deliver education has evolved over generations to accommodate emerging student needs and support new learning methods. School buildings must evolve as well, not solely to facilitate learning but also to create a positive impact on students and the broader community. Schools are critical because, as Winston Churchill said, “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.”

As school buildings take shape, they send a message to educators, students and the surrounding community. In a real sense, schools are value statements, communicating where decision-makers are investing and how they account for today’s needs while planning for the future. Here’s a closer look at three school building trends to watch in the years ahead.

Trend 1: Schools as Community Hubs

Schools are a community within a community. A growing school building trend implicitly recognizes this by creating spaces that serve as community hubs. With the right approach, these schools can strengthen bonds within the school community and assist whole families to enrich the larger community.

For example, research shows clear links between socioeconomic status and academic achievement, and that student stress about family finances can be distracting and demoralizing. Schools can serve as helpful resources through spaces that connect families with services or facilities that de-emphasize income disparity.

One campus was recently modernized to create a secure single-entry point, a safety feature now standard in newer schools, and to add a building that combines school administration offices with a separate but adjoined family center. This thoughtful approach gives school personnel a control point for campus visitors and provides a welcoming space where families can access health resources and services such as English as a second language instruction.

Another school borrowed a city planning idea to create a walkable, multifunctional space for students, teachers and families to create closer community ties. The building incorporates shared copying facilities to encourage student-teacher interactions and a food court-style cafeteria area where all students pay with identical school-issued cards to reduce the stigma for students receiving free lunches.

The new space keeps students on campus for lunch, eliminating what used to be a socioeconomic status marker. The school also features a parent resource center that is set up like a retail environment where families in need can access food and clothing. Intentional approaches like this create a more cohesive on-campus community while benefiting the larger community at the same time.

Trend 2: Wellness at The Forefront

Wellness is a huge focus for schools in the COVID-19 era, which is why biophilic spaces are moving to the head of the class. As an Education Today article on biophilic design notes, classrooms that feature natural light and organic material can improve creativity, cognitive function and academic outcomes and are scientifically proven to enhance health, well-being and learning in new school buildings and existing space renovations. Studies on biophilic design have found positive impact on our physiological health and well-being; further studies are being conducted on the potential economic and financial benefits as well.

We’ll continue to see schools find ways to enhance connection with nature both inside and outside. This includes using more natural materials, enhancing views to the outdoors, and increasing outdoor learning spaces.  When feasible, access to outdoor instruction and recreation areas is extremely beneficial for students. Adding features like building overhangs that provide shade can give students an opportunity to get some fresh air and learn in an outdoor setting.

Other strategies for incorporating wellness can also include quiet spaces inside that can be used for respite and flexible spaces that can support small or large gatherings. This trend grew post-pandemic as students returned to busy schools after spending time learning at home in solitude. Creating designated spaces both indoors and outdoors where students can get away from crowds and recharge helps improve overall wellness.

Trend 3: Expanding CTE Programs

Another building trend to watch is space that supports career and technical education (CTE) programs. A U.S. Department of Education study found that, eight years after graduation, students who participated in CTE programs in high school had higher median incomes than those who didn’t focus on CTE.

Spaces for technical education have unique elements to support the convergence of research, hands on learning and teaching. These include labs, innovation hubs, workshops and more. Many of these programs focus heavily on student success and instructor interaction which require flexible, modularized spaces and furnishings that can adapt for small and large group instruction.

But CTE programs are a building challenge for schools because spaces where students are trained in fields like robotics or advanced communication technology — or where the next generation of healthcare workers learn — typically require an upfront investment for infrastructure to provide necessities like connectivity, air compression, hydraulics and program specific inclusions.

Creating CTE spaces doesn’t have to be expensive for the schools. With career education becoming a focus for many districts, state governments and foundations, there are often opportunities to apply for grants to fund these specialized classrooms. To utilize this funding fully, CTE classrooms should be designed with an open concept that allows for a variety of technical training to take place.

When planning CTE spaces, it’s important to keep in mind that schools built in the 2020s will support training for careers that don’t yet exist, so it’s imperative to build in flexibility. Open building concepts are highly adaptable, as are spaces that provide flexible infrastructure, so it’s worthwhile to think through how spaces can be readapted in the years to come — it’s an investment in future flexibility.

Trending Up: Schools That Create a Positive Impact

A throughline that connects all three trends is that an investment in schools is a statement that a district values its students and their families and has an eye on the future. By investing in new buildings or renovations, schools have an opportunity to show students that the space is for them. Centering community connection, wellness and technical education will have a positive impact on learning outcomes and student experience for years to come.

Mary Ruppenthal is Associate Principal, Market Sector, for HED.

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SANTA MONICA, Calif.—General contracting firm McCarthy Building Companies has finished construction work on the new Discovery Building at Santa Monica High School. The three-story, 280,000-square-foot structure adds a host of new amenities to SAMOHI, as the school is referred to by locals.

As designed by HED and Moore Ruble Yudell, the $133 million building re-envisions SAMOHI’s North Campus. The architects collectively designed the facility as an “open building,” featuring an open-column grid, a raised floor and non-load-bearing walls; the design is meant to improve “circulation” throughout the campus.

In addition to its 43 classrooms, the Discovery Building features computer labs, indoor and outdoor dining options, an Olympic-size swimming pool, rooftop garden, as well as facilities for “medically fragile” students. Parking for 300 cars is also provided.

Furthermore, ample trees and landscaping design on the exterior provide shaded areas for outdoor study as well as meetings between students and teachers. The design also features outdoor classrooms such as the rooftop hydroponic garden and other science-oriented areas. Moveable glass walls can also be utilized to make the various learning spaces more flexible.

“I’m so proud that with all the challenges that came with continuing construction amid the pandemic that we were able to finish this project on time for the fall 2021 school year,” Nathan Huntley, senior project manager with McCarthy Building Companies, said in a statement emailed to School Construction News. “All the hard work and effort that we had put into bringing the new Discovery Building to life was worth it when we saw the excitement on all the students’ faces seeing their brand-new building on their first day of school on campus in over a year and a half.”

John Dale, principal with HED, added that his firm worked with faculty and students to more precisely design the learning spaces they needed—as well as how they should be arrayed.

“One of the things that brings this campus to life is the juxtaposition of body, mind and spirit in the Discovery Building,” Dale said. “This was designed using Open Building principles. It will be altered and changed and owned by different groups of people at different times and reflecting different needs.”

Added James Mary O’Connor, principal at Moore Ruble Yudell:

“Really good architecture has a learning moment. It’s an educational tool in itself. We weren’t looking for an iconic building and fixed image of something. It was much looser … we were interested in asking, how could the building itself grow?”

“The open concept of the building was to foster collaboration for the students and teachers,” added Huntley of McCarthy. “Since the school year started we can see that the elements of the building are really being used in that way—creating a comfortable learning environment for the SAMOHI community, which is very fulfilling for us as a project team.”

“For many buildings, the best day is opening day,” agreed O’Connor. “But the best day for the building will be ongoing … it will change and transform over time.”

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BRADFORD, Pa.—The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford campus (also known as Pitt-Bradford) recently broke ground on the 39,000-square-foot Engineering & Information Technologies Building, which will be devoted to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses. The STEM building is the first new academic building at the Bradford campus in 20 years.

The new standalone facility will be home to departments in mechanical engineering technology, energy engineering technology, computer information technology and energy sciences. The building will also feature engineering labs and shops, a data center, classrooms, faculty offices as well as educational and staff support spaces.

Architecture and engineering firm HED designed the new building and is working with architect of record and construction administrator LGA Partners. Rycon Construction, which has several offices in and around Pittsburgh, will serve as general contractor.

The designers’ master plan ensures that building elements open out toward a two-story collaborative center so as to increase team building, interpersonal interactions and allow for greater visibility. Furthermore, this centralized common area fosters a team-based learning model that school administrators have felt has been missing from the Brandford campus. The new quad features a faculty office area that effectively floats above a glass-encased first floor area.

Energy efficiency was taken into account as the designers incorporated glass to allow in maximum natural light.

“This is a really exciting development for Pitt-Bradford,” Rick Esch, interim president of the campus, said in a recent statement. “It is the first academic building that the campus has built in two decades, and it’s going to provide a state-of-the-art home for our computer information systems and technology program, energy science and technology students, and two new engineering technology programs.”

HED principal Chris Vogelheim said that collaborating on a project like this brings the various principles to previously unforeseen conclusions as they work out the logistical issues.

“The close collaboration between the owner and the design team enabled the creation of a building that will transform the campus,” Vogelheim said. “This is a signature building with a big mission to positively impact the region’s economic development through creating an inspirational place for engineering on this campus.”

The $17.69 million project is scheduled to finish construction late next year.

Pitt-Bradford was founded in 1963 and offers over 40 majors and 50 minors and certifications. The campus sits on 470 acres about 150 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

“This is a signature building with a mission to positively impact the region’s economic development,” added Vogelheim.

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OCEANSIDE, Calif.—Architecture and engineering company HED is partnering with California-based general contractor C.W. Driver to realize a new science building for San Diego County’s MiraCosta Community College District (MCCD). The design-build project will update and expand the district’s biotech teaching capabilities with 24,000 square feet of dedicated STEM instructional space that is tailored for 21st century instruction.

The $37.4 million MiraCosta Community College Chemistry and Biotech building will feature a bevy of chemistry laboratories, classrooms and other science support areas. The building will also provide a new home for MCCD’s biotech program as it continues to expand and offer a baccalaureate degree.

The new biotech building will be part of MCCD’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) quad and plaza, which sits on the northeastern part of the college’s campus in Oceanside.

C.W. Driver and HED are working jointly to ensure that the chemistry and biotech building blends seamlessly into the Southern California architectural aesthetic that is part of San Diego County’s aesthetic. Accordingly, it will be a structure that is strong but also will shine in the ample sunlight of the local climate. A “big roof” will offer an outdoor area for events that is both shaded from the sun as well as protected in case of rain—and also offers a transition from outdoor to indoor space as the visitor approaches and steps under the roof’s shadow.

The exterior elements include porches of various widths, both covered and uncovered, as well as some that are screened in. Such spaces will serve as relaxation and meeting environments. These areas will also connect students and staff to the building, as well as offer an exterior element meant to open up the visitor’s experience of the larger campus environment.

The new facility will serve to advance MCCD’s STEM curriculum, and it will offer the latest technological innovations for use in classrooms, laboratories and various other learning spaces as well.

In a recent statement, Jennette La Quire, principal and project leader with HED, said that the facility’s “science on display” approach will serve to stimulate student interest in the new construction while “sharing aspects of the Chemistry and Biotech programs with visitors as well.”

“Large windows and continuous circulation routes allow easy circulation around the building without disturbing classes and labs,” said La Quire.

“This new facility is an investment beyond just MCCD’s campus as their STEM graduates go on to create positive impact in their communities,” added Andy Feth, project executive with C.W. Driver. “The HED and C.W. Driver teams are pleased to be part of creating this valuable new hub for that advancement.”

The MiraCosta Community College District has served northern San Diego County for 80 years. Nearly 20,000 students are currently enrolled across more than 70 of its learning disciplines.

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SPRING WATER, Calif.—Grossmont Union High School District’s Monte Vista High School has recently expanded its campus complement thanks to the opening of the Monte Vista High School Event Center and Student Services Building. The multi-use facility was envisioned to support students and faculty, as well as to be a place where performances and community events can also take place. Adjacent outdoor areas also give students a place to meet up and converse.

The campus’s new facility was designed by architect HED, with construction management provided by Balfour Beatty. The event center and student hub cost $14.1 million and entails nearly 19,000 square feet of usable space. The money came from funds set aside by Proposition U and Measure BB.

The building was meant to be energy-efficient, and to take advantage of San Diego County’s ample natural sunlight. Accordingly, the building’s windows feature dual-pane, low-E (low emissivity) glass that allows in sunlight while filtering out harmful ultraviolet and infrared light. Furthermore, high-efficiency plumbing has been installed to minimize the amount of water that could potentially be wasted. Furthermore, a “cool roof” absorbs less heat than a more traditional roof would.

In addition to the performance space itself, designed in the style of an outdoor amphitheatre, the building also boasts a student support services center where students can get their questions answered as well as interact with campus staff. The student support services center features conference and break rooms, the student store, offices for principals and assistant principals, security, storage and nurses offices.

The building was also designed in such a way that views of the nearby San Miguel Mountain would not be obscured.

The addition is meant to fashion a new “gateway” for Monte Vista High School, and also serve as a connector between the school’s upper and lower campuses.

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LAKESIDE, Calif.—Several buildings on El Capitan High School’s campus in San Diego County were recently renovated to accommodate the school’s continually growing needs. The $7.2 million project took part within the Grossmont Union High School District.

Architect HED worked in concert with general contractor CW Driver on updating the 11,579-square-foot Student Services Building and the 6,000-square-foot Classroom Building at El Capitan High School. Renovations and upgrades at those buildings entailed a new and more efficient MEP system, new windows that feature more efficient glass, adding in LED light fixtures and insulating the “envelope” of the structures.

The classroom building also saw extra work that included upgraded carpets and paint as well as new tiling in some of the restrooms.

Additional work also entailed fashioning a new entrance to the administration building such that its design more seamlessly blends with the rest of the buildings on the campus. The new entry portal is meant to assist with wayfinding and also to give the community a greater sense that the school is part of the neighborhood.

The administration building also saw upgrades to its structure to make it Title 24-compliant and ready it for PV installation, which will make better use of the ample natural sunlight of its Southern California setting.

According to El Capitan’s website, other modernizations at the campus have included modernizing other classroom buildings as well as upgrading the gymnasium and air conditioning facilities. Newer buildings that will be added as part of the school’s overall upgrade plan include a PE complex, science building, event center and band instruction classrooms. Other upgrades are also in the works for the outdoor athletic facilities and updating campus security features.

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SANTEE, Calif.—An administrative building that is part of the Santana High School has wrapped a $3 million renovation project. Architect HED worked in conjunction with general contractor Grahovac Construction and construction manager Balfour Beatty to update and upgrade nearly 7,000 square feet of educational space at the school, which is part of the Grossmont Union High School District.

Santana High School’s former Administration Building was renovated so that it was able to support all student services while not disrupting the campus’s existing footprint. Furthermore, the construction was undertaken in such a way that it didn’t disturb the existing walls and columns of the structure.

A new street-facing facade was also part of the renovation, as well as improved wayfinding inside the building for members of the public who visit. New outdoor fencing and gates were added to the exterior as well.

Spaces to be fleshed out on the interior included a reception area, staff lounges and various administration space and offices.

In recent years, Santana High School also added a brand-new $14 million, 21,000-square-foot physical education facility. According to NBC San Diego, that project was just one of many being funded by Proposition U, a $417 million bond that voters passed in 2008, and another measure that was subsequently passed in 2016.

The school has since also added a science building and upgraded security cameras throughout its campus, according to NBC San Diego.

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SANTEE, Calif.—The Grossmont Union High School District has added a new building whose instruction will be devoted specifically to guiding students interested in the healthcare professions. A previous building for adult education on the site was deemed structurally unsound, and thus needed to be replaced due to Southern California’s seismically active environment. The new building fits within the footprint of the previous structure.

The Health Occupations Center Building will feature medical training laboratories that will accurately simulate scenarios students could eventually face in real healthcare settings. The facility will offer courses and certifications such as dental assistant, certified nursing assistant, pharmacy tech, vocational nursing, phlebotomy as well as a more intensive course leading to an EMT certification.

With nearly 20,000 square feet of space, the $6.58 million building will offer classrooms and support spaces in addition to the laboratories. The architectural design also features an exterior breezeway.

The Health Occupations Center Building was designed by architect HED and built by general contractor Conan Construction.

Said Barbara Brock, vocational nurse and instructor at HOC: “The new labs will help us to achieve our mission which is to provide affordable quality education for those interested in employment preparation, skill advancement, and/or personal fulfillment in health-related fields.”

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LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, Calif.—The new $12 million Bachmann Collaboration Building at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada Flintridge has been completed. Serving grades seven through 12, the three-story building spans 18,000 square feet and includes laboratories, art studios, classrooms, meeting rooms and offices where students and faculty can come together to learn and grow.

The Bachmann Collaboration Building—which replaced an existing building at the northern end of the campus—is part of the school’s multi-phased campus improvement project intended to promote interactive work and interdisciplinary studies that will better prepare students for college and the workplace. Encompassing leadership, science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM), as well as global studies programs, the new building will ensure the school’s regional and national competitiveness.

The new structure is a combination of concrete masonry unit and steel-framed walls. Designed by HED, it incorporates sleek and modern design elements with vast amounts of natural light, which complements the existing architecture on campus. The project also includes a new fire lane and landscaping, as well as a mechanical and electrical equipment yard.

C.W. Driver is the general contractor on the project.

“We were charged with creating an environment that will meet the challenges of the future and continue to provide an excellent educational experience for generations of Flintridge Prep students to come,” said Jared Dowdee, director of operations at Driver SPG (C.W. Driver’s Special Project Group). “Utilizing our experience in education, we aimed to bring to life the school’s vision of providing an environment that equally values ethical, emotional and intellectual development.”

Founded in 1933, Flintridge Preparatory School is a nationally recognized nonsectarian school serving more than 500 students. In honor of recently retired headmaster Peter Bachmann, the board decided to name the new addition the Bachmann Collaboration Building. During his 40-year career at Flintridge Preparatory School, Headmaster Bachmann instilled an environment where students were encouraged to dream big and collaborate often.

“The citizen of the future is going to need to work and learn in different ways than they have in the past,” said Headmaster Bachmann, in a statement. “This new space will facilitate a new kind of teaching and learning, providing students with the ability to collaborate, be creative and learn across departments.”

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LAKESIDE, Calif.—El Capitan High School in Lakeside, near San Diego, now has a new 15,000-square-foot Events Center—a state-of-the-art platform for campus events, performances, and other activities. The new facility includes a spacious event center, lobby and concession areas, band room, practice rooms, dance studio, and drama classrooms. The complex is split into two buildings to create a dramatic entrance with a focal point and strategically designed outdoor spaces.

The project was designed by HED and built by C.W. Driver; it emphasizes multi-functionality, with indoor and outdoor learning and gathering spaces. The event center includes a flat floor with retractable seating and a ceiling pipe grid to promote flexibility for holding various events, including drama productions, band performances, gallery shows and other activities.

The project draws upon the cultural heritage of El Capitan High School’s “Vaquero Pride” and emphasizes and reflects the unique location of the campus near the mountains and to the Sycamore Canyon Preserve.

This is the alma mater of the architect, Jennette La Quire, and the firm has completed a number of projects on the campus (agriculture complex, physical education building, science building, and an administration building now under way).

La Quire and the HED team have worked on a number of high school events centers; this is the second to be finished (Santana High School was the first) and the third (Monte Vista High School) is under construction.

FACTS & FIGURES

project type: design/bid/build
project scale: 15,888 sf
project team:

• Architect (full service): HED
• Contractor: C.W. Driver
• Electrical Engineer: IMEG
• Mechanical & Plumbing Engineering: MA Engineers
• Landscape Architect: Spurlock
• Civil Engineer: Snipes-Dye & Associates
• Structural Engineer: Wiseman + Rohy
• Theater Design: Idibri

project cost: $11 million
project completed: December 2019

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