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Learning takes flight at Kitty Hawk Middle School.

Stair tower with “wing” sunshade reference to the school mascot, the “Kitty Hawk Flyers”.
Stair tower with “wing” sunshade reference to the school mascot, the “Kitty Hawk Flyers”.

In boldly evolving this middle school with staged improvements, our longtime client Judson ISD embraces 21st century learning. The architectural design brings an airy, aspirational energy to classrooms and supporting spaces, creating the environment for a richer experience for Judson middle school students.

As is the case with many schools built in the early 1970s, Kitty Hawk was originally designed as a series of tightly spaced, cheaply constructed buildings that simply accommodated the bare necessities of public education. Through our work on the campus over the last twenty years, one of our primary goals was to create spaces for the students to congregate, collaborate and socialize – spaces that would support social and emotional learning as well as academics. Most recently we were tasked by the district to accommodate continued growth at the campus, replace several of the original buildings including the gyms, and plan for the next phase with the overall goal of creating a cohesive campus that would meet the needs of 21st century learning.

We developed an innovative solution that called for several small classroom buildings to be removed and replaced with a set of central plazas that stepped down the hill. These plazas include outdoor classrooms, dining, and informal gathering spaces which provide a focus for the campus where previously there were only covered walk connections. The new gym/classroom building was located so that it creates a perpendicular promenade to the central plaza and includes programmed space for the existing cafetorium to be demolished and replaced at a future phase. The new building contains dressing and athletic facilities, special education classrooms, general classrooms, collaborative spaces, and offices. Facing the campus is a covered porch which allows a place for students, parents, and visitors to congregate before and after athletic events.

Additional upgrades included roofing replacement and lighting upgrades to several existing campus buildings and a new bus drop off and canopy.

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Judson Independent School District

San Antonio, Texas

64,000 SF

Completed 2020

Stair tower with “wing” sunshade reference to the school mascot, the “Kitty Hawk Flyers”
Connecting stairs leading to classrooms above the gym lobby.
Kitty Hawk shows that there are always opportunities to invigorate and reimagine every campus.

Jerry Lammers

Stairwell with “Kitty Hawk Flyers” mascot graphic
Competition gym in school colors
New gym and classroom building with gathering porch.
Central plaza cascading steps with adjacent outdoor classroom.

Consultants

Structural Engineer | RSCR, Inc.
MEP | Wallis Engineering Group
Civil | MTR Engineers
Landscape | Cooper Lochte
Code/Life Safety | FPCG

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