VLK Architects Tops Out New High School for Fort-Worth School District

The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently celebrated a topping out ceremony for its new high school alongside project partners VLK Architects and Core Construction, according to a news release. Eagle Mountain High School will be the district’s fourth high school and is scheduled to open in time for the 2024–25 academic year.

The news release reports that the campus will feature an academic wing, outdoor dining space, fine arts space, and athletics facilities, all accessible via a sky bridge. The facility will complement the site’s topography and include abundant natural light and panoramic views. The campus also features a library featuring a variety of learning environments and a covered outdoor art patio, while a natural pond on-site will feature a dock for irrigation and use by science classes.

“Creating an environment in which young learners thrive in alignment with EMS ISD’s mission is one of the goals of Eagle Mountain High School’s design,” said VLK Principal Lauren Brown. “The journey a student takes from a freshman to a graduating senior will help shape the future and define a path to success and achievement. The walls and halls are just a backdrop to the teaching and learning taking place; the design should not hinder but bolster the robust curriculum provided by EMS ISD. It is an honor to be part of the team that transformed a site with over 630,000 square feet of building area into a new learning environment that will be here for decades.”

VLK Architects collaborated with teachers and staff to create a campus design in line with “a deep understanding of the district’s educational goals, philosophy, pedagogical practices, and [to] create a conceptual framework of next-generation learning environments,” according to the news release.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • GeoCam and UCLA: Modernizing Campus Accessibility Mapping

    In early 2025, UCLA partnered with GeoCam to capture and modernize its pedestrian infrastructure data. The goal was ambitious but clear: to produce a high-accuracy, imagery-backed digital map of every sidewalk, pathway, ramp, and ADA-related feature on UCLA’s 419-acre campus.

  • UPenn Announces Completion of New Veterinary Education Facility

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently finished construction on an 11,800-square-foot veterinary education building, according to a news release. The Gail P. Riepe Center for Advanced Veterinary Education is the first dedicated classroom facility at the New Bolton Center, a large-animal hospital and campus about 35 miles west of the campus proper.

  • Haws Corporation Marks 120th Anniversary

    Haws Corporation, which provides hydration and emergency safety solutions worldwide, recently announced that the company is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year, according to a news release.

  • Minnesota District Converts Middle School into Community Hub

    White Bear Lake Area Schools in White Bear Lake, Minn., recently announced the end of a major renovation project that converted a former middle school into a new centralized district and community hub, according to a news release.