Authentic education for today’s careers and preparation for the jobs of tomorrow

Frisco CTE Center Addition

The culmination of a vision that started 15 years ago with the development of one of the top career centers in the country, this new 44,090 square foot addition focuses on STEM curriculum, which has become a point of interest for a growing number of students.

With a location in the district’s geographic center, students from high schools across the district have equal access to this flexible learning environment. Inspired by the collegiate environment, each space offers flexibility and accommodates learning—inside the classroom, outside the building, and everywhere in between.

The heart of this school is the collaboration zone that encourages active learning through teaming and peer-to-peer interaction. Makerspaces and high-end learning labs enhance students’ ability to plan, make, and present. Configurable breakout zones with moveable, writeable wall panels promote collaboration and brain storming activities for various size student groups.

The learning stair promotes further informal learning and collaboration, and the large, flexible learning theater showcases student work to the community through presentation and career fairs. A new engineering workshop offers STEM, robotics, soldering, electronics, and some woodworking.

The design anchors the existing CTE Center and connects the adjacent administration building and high school campus. An elegant balance of contemporary materials—exposed steel structure, aluminum, and glass—countered by the warmth of wood ceilings and glulam beams provide thoughtful linkage to the existing building. Construction was minimally invasive, only affecting two exterior doors of the existing structure and leaving all surrounding parking lots undisturbed, and the project completed on time and under budget.