The John Jay Fine Arts Facility has been awarded three Stars of Distinction for Excellence in a juried exhibition, in the categories of Design, Wellness, and Community. Our recently completed addition for Northside ISD (NISD) John Jay High School will be showcased in the upcoming 2025-26 Exhibit of School Architecture, sponsored by The Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) and Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).
The award for community is especially meaningful, given the District’s significant $47.1M reinvestment into an aging campus in a predominantly Hispanic, low-income neighborhood. The project architecture and interior design represent a strongly aspirational vision, elevating the facility to new district-wide standards. The facility offers professionally equipped spaces for music, the performing arts, and visual arts, expanding opportunities for area students.
NISD John Jay High School Fine Arts Facility | TASA/TASB Stars of Distinction
Design | A bold architectural expression sets the stage, creating a dramatic street presence by emphasizing the full height of the theater fly loft with a bold blue “curtain” element. The building’s envelope, separate from the campus, is a generous and inclusive space, fostering belonging. Professionally equipped spaces enable artistic mastery.
Wellness | Design creates a “safe space for creative expression,” supporting key wellness metrics: social growth, positivity, connection to the outdoors, connection to others, and a calming acoustic environment created by sound isolation throughout the building.
Community | At the center of connection inward to campus and outward to community, the Auditorium is the centerpiece of this significant new facility. The Auditorium is home to generation-spanning programs such as the Mustang Marching Band and Mariachi Jalisco. The teaching theater meets new, expanded district standards for facilities of its type, enabling a wider range of student theater productions.
The TASA/TASB Exhibit of School Architecture in collaboration with the A4LE – Southern Region Foundation will showcase 43 projects at txEDCON 2025, the TASA/TASB Convention, in Houston September 12-13. The projects are also featured in the online exhibit at https://texasschoolarchitecture.org/.
