Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Expansion and Renovation Completed at Byron Nelson HS in North Texas

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 09/23/20

An expansion and renovation of Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club, Texas was recently completed. The three-story, 75,000 square-foot expansion and renovation of the campus provides added capacity to a rapidly growing population in the Northwest Independent School District. The project was headed by Perkins & Will.

Byron Nelson High School. Courtesy of Perkins and Will.

The design emphasizes ‘learning on display’ with visibility to programs such as the school’s new Engineering Lab, a combination robotics and shop space; the Architecture Studio, which serves as a model making area; and the Biomedical Science program. The course areas are located near main hallways with glass walls to offer direct views inside so students, parents and visitors can observe classes.

Byron Nelson High School. Courtesy of Perkins and Will.

In addition, the Culinary Arts program was expanded and moved near the school’s bistro, which allows students to receive practicum experience, showcase their skills, and provide a service to students, staff and community.

Byron Nelson High School. Courtesy of Perkins and Will.

The expansion and renovation includes:

  • Collaboration areas to encourage one-on-one and small-group learning sessions.
  • All classrooms and labs have windows for natural light and views.
  • A reconfigured lobby to provide a secure entrance.
  • Renovated orchestra and band halls.
  • Renovated athletic locker and shower facilities.
  • Added athletic support spaces including PE lockers and restrooms, laundry facilities, a conference room, athletic offices.
  • A monumental staircase overlooking an outdoor space.

Hallway messaging and graphics showcase the school’s values, mascot, history, and the story of professional golfer and namesake Byron Nelson.

Perkins and Will took steps to make the project, collaborative, and environmentally friendly, according to a design brief. “Other sustainable steps taken include the school’s flooring, a no-wax solution of Forbo linoleum, which is bio-based and biodegradable, made with renewable and recycled ingredients, has CO2-neutral production, is naturally antimicrobial, and wax-free,” the design brief continues. “Non-VOC paint was also specified, as well as energy-friendly lighting, and high-efficiency HVAC systems were designed for this project.”

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • Tomball ISD Opens New Tomball West High School

    Tomball Independent School District in Tomball, Texas, recently celebrated the official opening of Tomball West High School, the district's third comprehensive high school, with a community ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to a district news release.