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

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • Moline-Coal Valley School District to Consolidate Two Schools into New Facility

    The Moline-Coal Valley School District in Moline, Ill., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff from two existing schools, according to local news. Robert Ontiveros Elementary School will serve as the new home for Lincoln-Irving Elementary School and Willard Elementary School.

  • Minnesota Middle School Finishes $23.5M Addition and Modernization

    Highland Park Middle School in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $23.5-million addition and remodel project, according to a news release. Saint Paul Public Schools partnered with ATS&R Planners, Architects & Engineers for its design and Kraus-Anderson for its construction.