Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Florida High School Renovates Performing Arts Center

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/26/22

Construction recently began on a series of renovations and expansions to the Visual Performing Arts (VPA) Center at Booker High School in Sarasota, Fla. The school partnered with SchenkelShultz Architecture to enhance both the aesthetic and technical qualities of the space. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2022, according to a news release.

Booker High School Visual Performing Arts Center rendering

“The theater at Booker High School is rich in history and is one of the premier art and cultural ‘gems’ of the Sarasota community,” said SchenkelShultz partner Ken Dean. Renovations include expanding the public lobby for use as a pre-show gathering area and student art gallery; a new balcony and tiered orchestra level for the theater; enhancements to comfort, sightline, and acoustics from the audience; and an expansion that makes room for a black box theater, costume shop, green room and academic space.

“The design preserves the existing theater as a historically significant place to educate students and provides an artistic destination for performers, students, and the community,” said Ekta Desai, AIA, Partner and Design Lead at SchenkelShultz. “Simultaneously, we have elevated the space's production, technology, acoustics, and function, creating an environment that reflects the school's longstanding reputation for excellence.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • North Texas School District Completes Third New Elementary School

    The Denton Independent School District in Dallas, Texas, recently finished construction on its third prototype design elementary school, Reeves Elementary, according to a news release.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.

  • Illinois District Boosts Security at High-School Stadium

    Richmond-Burton Community High School in Richmond, Ill., recently announced that it has completed the redesigned entrance to its high school stadium with a new focus on school security and community engagement, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers on the project as part of District #157’s year-long facilities master plan.

Digital Edition