VLK Architects and Royse City ISD Break Ground on Bobby Summers Middle School

On March 7, VLK Architects joined with Royse City ISD students, staff, administrators, and community members to celebrate breaking ground on the district’s new Bobby Summers Middle School.  The school’s namesake was also in attendance to commemorate this new campus. This facility is the largest project included in the district’s 2018 bond and will serve 1,200 middle school students in grades six through eight.

Royse City

“Through VLK|LAUNCH, a committee was formed to design this school that consisted of staff, parents, community members, and most importantly our students. The design is going to be safe, smart, modern, and efficient,” said Kevin Worthy, Superintendent, Royse City ISD. “From the secure interior courtyard, to the community friendly extracurricular facilities, we hope that it will spark creativity and passion for learning in every child.”

The new building is designed to promote outdoor engagement with a centrally located secure courtyard and large windows allowing day light throughout. The multipurpose courtyard area located just outside of the cafeteria functions as a staging area and will further serve as a meeting space for large events, classes, and play space. Multipurpose furniture will be placed on tracks that can be moved based on the space needed. The design is specified to be environmentally friendly by using a rainwater collection tank to further aid in landscaping.

Bobby Summers Middle School is expected to open its doors to students in August 2020.

Featured

  • FGCU Breaks Ground on New Health Sciences Building

    Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has launched construction on a major new academic facility that leaders say will reshape healthcare education in Southwest Florida for decades to come, according to university news.

  • Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, OR

    Preserving Legacy, Designing for the Future

    As historic academic buildings age, institutions face a difficult decision: preserve and adapt or demolish and rebuild. How do we honor the legacy of these spaces while adapting them to meet the needs of modern learners?

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • 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.