this is a school worth visiting because james madison high school

THIS IS A SCHOOL WORTH VISITING BECAUSE ...
... it demonstrates how to successfully improve a large urban campus over time
... its state-of-the-art facilities for fine arts, athletics, and academics
... it represents one of the best high school transformations in the city
JAMES MADISON HIGH SCHOOL
North East Independent School District
grade levels served
9 through 12
state-of-the-art school facilities carefully added to replace
outdated buildings at the largest high school in the district
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
(how do you engage the community, foster community use/joint-use, celebrate
the unique needs of the community, connect students to their community)
Recognizing a need to create public spaces on campus that can
be easily accessed by the community, the design team has worked
carefully with school district officials to create a transformed
campus layout that creates distinct points-of-entry to each
venue. The enlarged cafeteria placed adjacent to the main entry
can be accessed by community groups from a causl outdoor
courtyard, without necessitating access to the remainder of the
school. New athletic facilities located immediately north of the
main building have a public lobby that allows access to both the
primary and secondary gymnasiums, for on campus games. Direct
access between gyms further improves instructor supervision
during daily use for physical education and team practice. To
the southwest, a new auditorium and fine arts facility also has
its own generous lobby space, which accommodates not only
audiences for performances, but also circulation for UIL and other
competitions hosted on campus. The design team also found a
unique opportunity to create a large outdoor amphitheatre on
site in the location of the original, undersized auditorium, which
can hold pep rallies and other campus wide events.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
(how do you support a variety of learning styles, enable learners to be successful,
support future changes in educational delivery systems)
The most recent projects completed at Madison include a new
athletic complex and fine arts facility. The athletic complex replaces
the school’s original primary and secondary gymnasiums, and is
supported by enhanced practice football and softball fields, as
well as new tennis courts. The new fine arts facility replaces the
school’s original auditorium and existing fine arts support spaces.
Previously, pfluger completed two other large projects on the
Madison campus under a prior bond campaign. The original
cafeteria has been replaced, and the new cafeteria opened in the
2006-2007 school year. While the original had low ceilings and
little natural light, the new facility provides a daylight-filled student
5005 Stahl Road
San Antonio, Texas 78247
15.5 miles from the San Antonio
Convention Center
dining hall with multiple serving lines and a new kitchen. Daylight
fills the room from clerestories wrapping all four walls, giving the
vaulted roof the appearance of floating above the dining area. The
original cafeteria has been replaced with a new science facility,
providing lecture / labs to meet current TEA criteria.
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
(how do you demonstrate sustainability, appropriate use of materials, systems, and
other building elements, inspire internally and externally)
An understanding of the existing campus environment was
essential to creating new facilities that would complement
existing spaces and address shortcomings in inadequate facilities.
Campus circulation could not be compromised when considering
the incorporation of new buildings; thus, exterior connectivity
was an essential part of the overall design for the fine arts and
athletic additions. Maintaining a secure, campus-like feel for the
large school was a critical goal for both the design team and
school district.
Within the facilities, every opportunity was taken to introduce
natural daylight and improve indoor learning environments.
The original facility’s lack of windows and outdated systems
were primary factors in the recommendations for replacement,
along with functional inadequacies and changing programmatic
requirements.
PLANNING PROCESS
(how did the process affect the learning environment, and how did the team
remain involved through the design, construction, and post-occupancy phases)
pfluger has worked with North East ISD to prepare a long-range,
multi-phased redevelopment plan for James Madison High School,
currently the largest high school in the district, over several bond
elections. The concept, dubbed ‘Madison Avenue,’ reorients
the campus’s facilities around a centralized circulation spine,
improving the functionality of the original 1970s-era buildings.
Future redevelopment plans include demolishing the original
athletic spaces and providing additional classroom facilities.
WHY?
(tell us what makes your school unique to attract visitors from around the world,
and why someone should travel from another continent to see your school)
Every school, over time, must find ways to address changing
needs and phyiscal shortcomings. Madison High School provides
a unique opportunity to visitors to see this work ‘in progress,’
with several successful phases already accomplished, and future
opportunities for redevelopment to come. The new facilities
themselves demonstrate best practices within North East ISD and
the state, encouraging student activity and performance.
1901 N New Braunfels Ave
San Antonio TX 78208
phone 210.227.2724
fax 210.227.2730
pflugerarchitects.com