Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Texas High School Debuts Arts Program Expansion

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/02/21

Melissa High School in Melissa, Texas, recently completed a 65,000-square-foot expansion in conjunction with the Perkins&Will Dallas studio. The new space includes a new practice gymnasium, an extension of the student union, a new performance theater, and an addition to the fine arts program.

Perkins&Will Melissa High School

The fine arts program addition includes a new entryway, lobby, 1,000-seat auditorium, and other amenities like rehearsal spaces, a percussion hall outfitted with live recording capabilities, and a scene shop. One goal of the project was to highlight the district’s commitment to and passion for the arts.

Perkins&Will Melissa High School

A design narrative explains how Perkins&Will worked with the school’s existing architecture, tying together old and new. A “garden zone” of native plants complements the school’s natural landscape with the main lobby entrance, as well as serving as a gathering place for event overflow. The fine arts wing was designed to be as flexible as possible regarding spacing, lighting, acoustics, and more.

Perkins&Will Melissa High School
Photos courtesy of Charles Davis Smith

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.

  • nursing students talk while studying in a hallway

    Elsevier Launches VR Simulation Solution for Nursing Students

    Elsevier has introduced Shadow Health Lab with Virtual Reality, a simulation platform that allows nursing students to interact with virtual patients and build clinical judgment skills in a safe, realistic environment.

  • Dallas ISD Voters Approve $6.2B Bond Package

    Dallas ISD voters have approved a record-setting $6.2-billion bond package that district leaders say will modernize aging campuses, eliminate portable classrooms and reshape learning environments across one of the nation’s largest school systems.