California Middle School Completes Two New Academic Buildings

Sunnyvale Middle School in Sunnyvale, Calif., recently announced that construction is complete on two new classroom buildings of two stories each, according to a district news release. The new wing will house seventh- and eighth-grade students and is part of a larger campus modernization project. Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and LPA, Inc., provided design services, while Blach Construction handled the build.

The two buildings add a total of 35,000 square feet, 23 adaptable classrooms, an art classroom, five student breakout spaces, a teacher collaboration area, and a 23,000-square-foot outdoor courtyard.

“I am grateful to our community for supporting our bond measures and making it possible to upgrade our school facilities. These improvements will directly enhance the learning experience for our students,” said Sunnyvale School District Superintendent Gudiel R. Crosthwaite. “I also want to thank our outstanding project team for staying on track with such an ambitious timeline. This allows us to make a meaningful difference for as many students as possible, as quickly as possible.”

The new wing is on track toward receiving a Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)-Designed certification. Design elements emphasizing sustainability include bioretention basins to capture and filter stormwater as well as solar panels as a source of renewable energy.

“Collaboration was key to bringing the stakeholders and design teams together to meet programmatic goals to deliver a project ready for students to start the school year,” said LPA, Inc., senior project manager Denise Flatley. “Locating the buildings to create a courtyard that connects to Spartan Square, leaving space for the future growth of the campus by utilizing two-story buildings, and emphasizing the need for interior and exterior learning space for the social and emotional growth of the students were our top priorities. The result is a student centric space we are excited to see students use daily.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • El Paso District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The Canutillo Independent School District in El Paso, Texas, recently announced that construction has begun on a 119,000-square-foot elementary school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Pfluger Architects, Carl Daniel Architects, and LDCM Solutions on the new Davenport Elementary School, which has an expected completion date of 2027.

  • T&T Construction Management Group Completes Pasco High School Expansion

    Pasco High School in Dade City, Fla., recently announced that it has completed an expansion project in partnership with T&T Construction Management Group, Inc., Harvard Jolly Architecture, and Williams Company.

  • Recent University of Pennsylvania Projects Receive LEED Certifications

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently announced that three of its recent construction projects have earned LEED certifications, according to university news. The Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology (VLEST) received a LEED Platinum certification, Amy Gutmann Hall a LEED Gold, and the OTT Center for Track and Field a LEED silver.

  • South Texas K–12 District Debuts Region’s First Electric Bus Fleet

    The Valley View Independent School District in Pharr, Texas, recently announced a partnership with Highland Electric Fleets to launch the district’s—and the region’s—first fleet of all-electric school buses, according to a news release.

Digital Edition