New High School Planned in Austin, Texas

The Austin, Texas office of global architecture and design firm Perkins+Will has been selected as the architect for Austin ISD’s (Texas) new $80-million Eastside Memorial Early College High School and International High School, following the board’s recommendation last night. Located at the original L.C. Anderson High School campus on Thompson Street, the facility is part of the district’s recently approved $1.05-billion bond program and is one of 16 schools slated for campus improvement projects or replacements throughout the district.

Perkins+Will’s role as lead architect on the project will include designing the first new ground up high school in almost twenty years in Austin ISD.  It will be designed around the district’s vision to “Reinvent the Urban School” and include multi-purpose community rooms and a gallery area in celebration of the L.C. Anderson High School legacy. The new school will be located at the site of the original African American school that was forced to shut down in 1971 by court order.

“We are honored to be awarded this meaningful project for Austin ISD,” said Angela Whitaker-Williams, associate principal and Austin education practice leader at Perkins+Will. “The alumni of the original school are thrilled the new school will reopen as a new hope for the community about the same time as their 50-year class reunion. We are deeply honored to play such a key role in preserving this important part of the school’s history and building a new future for Eastside Memorial Early College and International High Schools.”

The high school, based on multiculturalism and career tech programs, will be across the street from the Eastview campus of Austin Community College, presenting unique opportunities for higher education collaboration for the Early College programs.

Featured

  • How Proactive Maintenance Can Transform Athletic Facilities into Strategic Assets for College Sports

    College athletics is entering one of the most transformative periods in its history. With NIL reshaping financial models and competitive expectations, athletic departments across the country are being asked to do more than ever with increasingly constrained resources.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.

  • Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can't

    In 2026, education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.