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

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Johns Hopkins Starts Construction on New Residence Hall, Dining Facility

    The Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., recently began construction on a new residence hall and dining facility, according to university news. The work involves demolishing the existing Alumni Memorial Residence Hall I, which was built in 1923, to make room for the new facility.

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • St. John Fisher University

    Classroom Revitalization – Basil Hall Room 216

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. St. John Fisher University's Basil Hall Room 216 Classroom Revitalization has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of Spaces.