San Diego charter school finds home in existing public library building

The LPA Inc.-designed e3 Civic High School in San Diego is the first facility of its kind in the nation. Located inside a public library, the school combines a sustainable and creative learning environment for charter school students.

The school is located on the sixth and seventh floors of the library and embraces flexible school days, internship opportunities, and project-based learning. 

Design highlights include a “living room” setting with flexible furniture; a central staircase that doubles as a social learning space; an interactive wall on which students can write and display projects; and a centrally-located gallery lined with whiteboard surfaces and specialty lighting where students can share their work. 

The Building Team also included: LSW Engineers (MEP) and Acentech (A/V and acoustical).

Here is the project description from LPA, Inc.:
The LEED Gold certified, e3 Civic High-which stands for "Engage, Educate and Empower," is creatively co-located inside a downtown San Diego public library in a unique collaborative setting. While library patrons don't have access to the school, they can catch a glimpse inside the project-based educational environment as they ride a glass elevator through the building's sixth and seventh floors.

The transparent design and unique location, which capitalizes on the library's existing infrastructure, was chosen to foster team-based, experiential-learning opportunities with the help of movable glass walls, modular furniture, a demonstration kitchen, break-out learning spaces and a plaza area for assemblies and dining.

LPA also engaged the community in the design process through workshops, charettes, image sharing and building tours to help promote the school's partnership with the city and library foundation in linking education into the urban culture.