Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

California Junior High School Completes Conversion to Middle School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/19/24

The Fremont Unified School District in Fremont, California, recently finished a multi-phase conversion to Thornton Middle School that will increase the school’s student population by almost 50 percent with the addition of sixth-grade students, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects and Blach Construction for the project that totaled 45,000 square feet of new construction and 57,000 square feet of renovation and modernization.

The campus conversion includes a new, two-story administration building featuring student support services and a library; five new two-story classroom buildings that were completed in 2022; and upgrades to all existing classroom buildings, multipurpose buildings, and locker rooms.

“The modern and flexible educational and support spaces that now make up Thornton Middle School provide each grade level with inspiring facilities to learn and grow,” said QKA Principal John Dybczak. “This has been a complex and fulfilling project to see through to the finish line, and the outcome is a testament to the teamwork of all parties involved.”

Sustainability features include solar-readiness, metal roofing panels, energy-efficient windows, high-efficiency mechanical systems and water-efficient plumbing systems, eco-friendly interior systems, and LED lighting. Renovations also saw the introduction of bio-swales for stormwater management and drought-tolerant landscaping.

“With every aspect of the campus affected by the multiple phases of construction, advance planning and coordination were invaluable to project success,” said Blach Project Executive Brad Fannin. “From the prefabrication of wall panels to the sequencing of work, we employed solutions from the outset that would maintain functionality and safety for Thornton’s students and staff.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Arlington High School

    Arlington High School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Arlington High School has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.

  • Texas Recruitment

    Texas Recruitment

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The University of Texas at Austin's Texas Recruitment has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of Renovation.

  • Higher Ed is Betting on New Buildings While Quietly Undermining Their Campuses — Here’s Why

    In this climate, the owner’s representative has changed from a delivery-focused advisor to a strategic campus partner. Institutions are increasingly relying on owner’s reps not just to manage, cope, schedule, and budget, but also help evaluate whether a project should proceed at all.

  • 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.