High Tech High International
Architect:
Carrier Johnson + Culture
School Website:
Guiding Principles:
Personalization, Common Intellectual Mission, Adult-World Connections, Teacher as Designer
Description:
9-12 charter public high school serving 410 students. 1952 former metal casting foundry, two-story, 33,000 SF, renovated in 2004.
Design Features:
Commons Areas, Grade Level Teaching Neighborhoods, cross-discipline Teacher’s Offices, teamed Classrooms with movable walls, Learning Studios, Specialty Labs, Fabrication Labs, and varied Display and Exhibition venues.
Awards:
Location:
San Diego, CA
Part of a network of 16 charter schools that span the K-12 spectrum, High Tech High attracts over 5,000 visitors annually who come to San Diego to learn from its innovative project-based pedagogy and its approach to the design of simple and flexible school facilities.
Opening in September 2004, High Tech High International (HTHI) is the third school to be created as part of the High Tech High school network, serving 410 students in grades 9-12. Designed as a collaborative effort between the HTH design team (under the direction of New Vista’s David Stephen) and Carrier Johnson Architects, the school is located in a 32,000 SF renovated building that was originally constructed in 1952 to house a metal casting foundry for the U.S. Navy.
Located adjacent to High Tech High on the grounds of the former Naval Training Center in Point Loma (San Diego), CA, the front portion of the original building boasts a dramatic 10K SF space with a 35’ high ceiling that has been left large open, but now serves as the school commons and administration area with mezzanine classrooms, a centrally located and circular United Nations Classroom, a makerspace, and frequently changing displays of public art. With its lofty ceilings, colorful artwork and roomy Commons area, the facility can easily support gatherings and events of up to 400 people. A two-story classroom wing to the rear of the foundry area houses classroom neighborhoods for grade 9/10 and 11/12 with adjacent outdoor spaces and patios.
Starting as one charter high school program in 2000, High Tech High has expanded into a network of 16 connected but autonomous elementary, middle and high schools that are co-located within four “villages” located throughout greater San Diego. The network is distinguished by its unwavering commitment to cross-discipline, project-based, and community-connected programming, as well as to serving a wide range of students, 65% of whom are students of color and 50% of whom qualify for free and reduced lunch.
New Vista’s David Stephen was a co-founder of flagship Jacobs High Tech High school and served from 2000-2003 as its Academic Coordinator, then from 2003-2006 as Director of Design for the first five HTH facilities. Now serving over 7,000 students, the HTH network hosts over 5,000 visitors per year who come from across the globe to observe school programs, participate in professional development seminars, and learn from its innovative facilities.
Project Numbers
9-12
grade levels.
550
students.
$9.9m
budget.
