The Eastside Memorial Early College High School and International High School, designed by Perkins+Will, will offer a STEM-focused curriculum that will provide specialized education for students with little to no proficiency in the English language.
The school, located in Austin, Texas, will sit on the site of the original L.C. Anderson High School, a historic African American high school that closed in 1971 following federal desegregation. The new facility will blend the old and new by incorporating elements of the original structure into the design scheme. The original, mid-century entrance, band hall, choir room, cafeteria, and an original classroom wing will all be preserved and rebuilt.
Courtesy Perkins+Will.
The entrance to the former location of the gym will become a community center entrance with a gallery that tells the stories of L.C. Anderson High School’s history. The gallery will include a timeline of the former school’s history, legacy medallions, and display cabinets for objects of historical significance.
See Also: University of Miami design/build program receives new immersive-learning facility
The low-profile red-brick building will be complemented by a new, taller section built primarily with metal and glass. The taller, four-story section of the building will feature learning space and student-focused classrooms. The school will feature maker labs, two gymnasiums, a health science lab, and a multi-use outdoor classroom courtyard with a performance stage, quiet reflection areas, and sensory gardens.
Courtesy Perkins+Will.
The $80-million project represents the first ground up high school in Austin Independent School District in almost 20 years. The education facility will make use of passive heating and cooling, natural daylighting, an its proximity to public transportation and bicycle routes in an effort to achieve LEED Silver certification.
The school is slated for completion in 2021.
Courtesy Perkins+Will.
Courtesy Perkins+Will.
Related Stories
Education Facilities | Feb 25, 2019
Fallingwater Institute’s summer residency programs have a new educational hub
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson designed the project.
Education Facilities | Feb 23, 2019
Construction completed on classroom/dorm combo building on Worcester Polytechnic’s campus
The latest addition embodies the school’s emphasis on collaborative problem-solving.
Libraries | Feb 10, 2019
New library branch in San Diego opens with its community’s learning and working traits in mind
It features larger gathering spaces and more technology than its predecessor.
Green | Jan 28, 2019
This is the country’s greenest academic building
Perkins+Will designed the building.
Education Facilities | Jan 22, 2019
Rethinking classroom design to promote collaboration
A dynamic learning space needs to center around the learner, and be flexible enough to transform into any configuration that will facilitate collaboration, especially as curriculums change.
Education Facilities | Jan 21, 2019
N.J. middle school puts its small site to use
The school is named in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of the “Beloved Community.”
Education Facilities | Jan 8, 2019
Greenwich Village’s Grace Church School receives rooftop athletic center expansion
Murphy Burnham & Buttrick Architects designed the addition.
Education Facilities | Oct 31, 2018
BIG and WeWork collaborate on the first WeGrow school in NYC
WeWork is designed to help children learn through introspection, exploration, and discovery.
Education Facilities | Oct 18, 2018
Perkins+Will-designed, STEM-focused elementary school opens in Dallas
The school will accommodate 900 students each year.
University Buildings | Oct 8, 2018
One size doesn't fit all: Student housing is not a pair of socks
While the programming and design for these buildings all kept a holistic living/learning experience at the core, they also had amazingly different outcomes.