Orange County Public Schools Debut Two New High Schools

SchenkelShultz Architecture announced last week that it has completed two new high schools for Orange County Public Schools. Horizon High School and Lake Buena Vista High School, respectively located in the Winter Garden and Dr. Phillips areas of Orange County, Fla., will each include room for 2,700 students in the nation’s eighth-largest school district.

“Our goal in the design of these two campuses was to balance cost efficiency and functionality with a modern, 21st-century learning environment for students,” said David Torbert, Partner and Education Leader at SchenkelShultz. “The multi-use academic spaces support small-scale learning communities, multi-modal instruction, and project-based learning with the courtyard providing a place to extend learning, connection and collaboration beyond the classroom.”

Horizon High School
Photo credit: SchenkelShultz Architecture

According to a news release, both schools feature a centralized courtyard and an auditorium, gymnasium and media center up front for easy after-hours access by students and parents. The administration building offers a single, secure point of entry for each school’s entire campus. Other security features at both campuses include a full security system and cameras, a two-way emergency radio system, a voice-evacuation fire alarm system, fence-lined perimeters, card reader entrance controls, and a permanent generator.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.