Students help staff and architects develop CTE Center

Arlington ISD high school students joined AISD staff in a design charrette hosted by VLK Architects to plan the future Career and Technical Education Center. Cindy Powell, AISD Chief Financial Officer, said at the meeting that students are the most important stakeholders and their input is essential. The students represented Arlington, Bowie, Martin and Seguin High Schools.

VLK presented three concepts, developed after a previous design charrette with staff. A consensus quickly developed for the third option, “The Center,” with a floor plan that would allow for a large central common area ideal for gathering and studying. It would also grant easy access to all the different subject areas in the building.

Students asked for an entrance that would feel inviting, an outdoor space for socializing and studying and convenient parking. They also expressed disappointment that they will graduate before the building is ready.

After the charrette, VLK Architects went back to work to further develop the building’s design and worked with AISD’s facilities and career staff to hammer out details. They presented an update of their design to AISD staff and several board members on March 20 and presented the schematic design for board approval on April 2.

The Career and Technical Education Center is funded by the 2014 Bond and will be built on the corner of Pioneer Parkway and Browning Drive, where Hutcheson Junior High currently stands. The Hutcheson building will be torn down to make way for the new center and Hutcheson’s students will move to Workman Junior High.

Substantial completion of the CTE Center is scheduled for June 1, 2017, and will have the capacity to serve about 4,800 high school students from throughout the district every two days.

Check aisd.net/bond for regular updates on the CTE’s progress.