VLK Architects Receives Caudill Award for Texas Learning Center

  • By Matt Jones
  • 02/04/25

VLK Architects recently received the Caudill Award for its work on the Dr. Jim F. Chadwell Administration Building and Discovery Lab Learning Center for Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD in Fort Worth, Texas, according to a news release. The award is the highest honor from the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) / Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Exhibit of School Architecture yearly competition. The facility’s use of natural materials and its integration with its natural environment earned the jury’s attention, the news release reports.

"Two things are showcased in this facility: learning through discovery for young learners and continued professional development for educators," said VLK Architects’ Principal Lauren Brown. "EMS ISD's vision was central to the purposefully designed experience, both inside and outside the building. The positive sentiments expressed by those outside of the design process is its own reward, especially for those of us who were involved from conceptual design through completion."

The jury recognized the building’s deliberate of its location near Marine Creek Lake to generate an innovative, positive learning environment through welcoming corridors echoing the outside environment and views of the lake. The EMS ISD Administration Building plays home to the district’s professional development and administrative functions, and it also serves as a field-trip spot for the district’s natural science classes. The building’s design was inspired by park buildings and nature centers to create a “quiet, reflective presence” on the site.

“VLK did an outstanding job working from design to construction to ensure that our vision for this project would materialize. We took advantage of a beautiful piece of property adjacent to existing trail systems, too small for a school, but just the right size for our new administration and discovery lab facility to serve our fast growth community,” said EMS ISD Superintendent Emeritus Dr. Jim F. Chadwell. “Not only does it efficiently replace the district’s previous eight overburdened administrative buildings, it also provides the discovery labs named after two of the district’s finest teachers, who have promoted outdoor learning for decades. These labs provide a flexible space for students to interact with the woods, prairie, and waterways on the property, as well as being used for professional development and community events. The building is rarely closed in the evening, because it serves as a community resource for meetings and events.”

The news release reports that the award’s jury consists of school board members, administrators, and representatives of the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE). Judging criteria include design, value, wellness, community, planning, and transformation, the news release reports.

About the Author

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

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