West Valley School District’s relatively small population, with its numerous multiple generations, proudly supports education. This strong bond between community and education proved invaluable when it was time to design and renovate the local high school. Project planning involved a series of meetings with both a faculty advisory committee and community members, and initial design concepts were developed through a charrette process with the owner’s representatives. In addition, three community open-house meetings were held and input was sought from students in the school’s leadership classes. The same critical design issues that plagued the school for years were mentioned by each group: the lack of a clear front entry, confusing circulation patterns and an uninspiring identity. Resolving these issues was the focus of the design solution. Previous remodels left the original building with multiple non-descript entries, and visitors often struggled to find the front door. With the new design, a dramatic main entry emanates from the southwest corner, addressing equally both streets that border the school. With a gesture of respect to previous generations, the largest of three granite archways salvaged from the original 1924 high school (which had been stored for over 16 years) was re-constructed just inside the new entry lobby. The glass lobby acts as a display case for a piece too sacred to be “left out in the rain.” A new events entry balances the opposite end of the school fronting the gymnasium addition. Large aluminum panels with athletic-figure silhouettes are suspended within the dynamic curved glass lobby, clearly expressing the functions within. The remaining two granite archways were placed within the expanded theater, one on each side of the proscenium opening. To clarify circulation patterns, a concrete datum wall parallels the glass entry, slicing diagonally through the academic wing. The wall leads from the front door to a major corridor intersection, connecting to loop circulation that provides alternate routes and reduces congestion. This juncture is an orientation space where the courtyard and commons (on axis with the datum wall) are discovered and primary circulation to the east and north is clearly visible. An open stair and bridge above create a visual and physical link to the second-floor spaces above.The commons is the heart of the school. It is a major node in the school’s circulation and serves as a primary gathering space for students and the community as well as a lobby space for the adjacent theater. Any events or activities can spill out directly into the exterior courtyard, whose circular, terraced walls form an amphitheater for teaching, presentation and performance.The limited site area required creativity in the design of building volumes and geometry to infill and add to the existing structure with a unified, cohesive exterior character that resolved the chaos of the original school and its previous additions. Consistent detailing and materials, including a new traditional red brick, create an identity for the school and community that is a proud showcase for their education and extra-curricular activities.
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