Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Malibu High School Campus Completes $102M Phase 1 of Construction

  • By Matt Jones
  • 09/30/25

Malibu High School in Malibu, Calif., recently announced that it has completed phase 1 of construction for its new campus, a news release reports. The first phase consisted of developing and modernizing the site of a former elementary school into a new, 70,000-square-foot, two-story facility. The district partnered with C.W. Driver Companies on the project, which cost an estimated $102 million.

The new building has the capacity for 600 students. Amenities include multipurpose spaces, project-based learning facilities, visual and performing arts classrooms, special education classrooms, STEM classrooms, a cafeteria, library, administrative office, and additional services, according to the news release.

“The development of Malibu High School’s new core building was a great opportunity to build an interdisciplinary learning environment for students to be able to excel in all subjects,” said Dave Amundson, C.W. Driver project executive. “It helped us provide another wonderful learning facility for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s needs, so they can focus on supporting their students.”

According to the news release, C.W. Driver demolished nine existing buildings and implemented 30 concrete walls with unique mixes that prioritized sustainability. Natural materials from the nearby Santa Monica Mountains helped the project achieve California Title 24 certification and the ability to meet Net Zero standards.

“It was such a pleasure working with C.W. Driver to build a campus that suits all students' needs while providing a hands-on learning experience in all subjects,” said Carey Upton, Santa Monica-Malibu USD’s Chief Operations Officer. “An interdisciplinary campus like this will be a stepping stone for future campuses as the learning experience continues to become more experiential.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.

  • 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.

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.

  • Classical building columns display digital data streams

    The Campus Nervous System: Why Facilities Risk Is Now a Leadership Issue in Higher Education

    Facility performance now intersects with safety, compliance, on-campus experience, institutional reputation, and financial resilience. That places it firmly on the leadership agenda.