VLK Architects' Midlothian Heritage High School honored for Planning and Value
VLK Architects' project recently received Stars of Distinction Awards from the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) and the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) on Midlothian Heritage High School, Midlothian ISD. The District's newest high school, which opened its doors August 2014, received honors in Planning and Value.
'Midlothian ISD is proud of the unique educational environment that VLK Architects designed as our new Midlothian Heritage High School. Their exemplary customer service and partnership exceeded our expectations throughout the planning and design process,' stated Midlothian ISD Superintendent, Dr. Lane Ledbetter.
Midlothian Heritage High School was designed to consider future growth. Outstanding features of the school include a world-class cafetorium, a departmental teacher commons area, an 'amphitheater styled' outdoor classroom, an uber lab for advanced science, and a large commons area for student collaboration. The success of the design is the result of the collaborative efforts of the VLK design team, administrators and faculty, the community and the students of Midlothian Heritage High School.
'Kids are not always given the opportunity to share their vision; VLK allowed us to be a part of the design process, which made us feel that our opinions were valued,' stated Marissa Villarreal, Inaugural Class, Midlothian Heritage High School. 'Our dreams have become a reality at MHHS!'
The high school has been designed to be able to double its student capacity under a second phase of construction. Every future addition has been carefully planned so the locations of each new space will have the appropriate adjacencies, keeping athletics, fine arts and academics in the same location.
'VLK is honored to receive awards in the categories of Planning and Value, because the awards truly exemplify the focus of our design effort. We worked very closely with the school district to create a facility that would be a functional, cost effective, scalable first phase comprehensive high school that could be easily and appropriately expanded to serve the full build out to 2500 students,' said Leesa Vardeman, VLK Principal. 'The intensive master-planning was a complex effort, but will result in a wise investment now and for the future of Midlothian ISD.'