Three campuses in the Fremont Union High School District saw construction of new buildings and/or classroom modernizations this fall, and the district got a new maintenance and operations building.
Designed by McKim Design Group and Quattrocchi Kwok Architects and built by Blach Construction, the projects include a new wellness center and classroom modernization at Cupertino High School, a new science building at Lynbrook High School and classroom modernization and a new library quad at Homestead High School.
Cupertino High School
The new wellness center at Cupertino High School addresses the emotional well-being of students. After receiving a grant to hire personnel, the school realized an opportunity to renovate two classrooms. Designed by McKim, the updated spaces include dedicated therapy and counseling rooms and areas for students to decompress and implement calming techniques throughout the day. A variety of furnishings such as group table seating, bean bags and privacy tents allow students who choose to use the facility different ways to center themselves.
“We were inspired to design a facility that would nurture and provide comfort to all students in need,” Todd Walter, architect for the McKim Design Group, said in a statement. “We are excited this space has become a reality and hope to see it put to good use for many years to come.”
In addition to the wellness center, two classroom buildings on the Cupertino High campus were modernized. Upgrades include new flooring, paint, wall coverings, audio visual systems, fire alarms and energy-efficient LED lighting. The total square feet of each building, including the wellness center, is nearly 16,000.
Lynbrook High School
The new two-story Science Building at Lynbrook High School is dedicated to the late Roy Rocklin, a retired scientist who taught science at Lynbrook for 10 years and then served on the district board for seven years. The 12,000-square-foot facility features six science classrooms with lab spaces and two prep areas behind the classrooms.
Homestead High School
Initiated by the need for structural upgrades to two 14,000-square-foot classroom buildings at Homestead High School, work evolved into a modernization and rebuilding of all classrooms, restrooms, office spaces and administrative break rooms in the buildings. Exterior modifications included adding windows to increase daylighting and employing a fiber mesh wrap around the second-story floor and roof concrete. Applied as a liquid which then hardens, the fiber mesh wrap provides additional structural strength, increasing protection from a seismic event. The project includes a new central quad area that connects multiple buildings and provides space for students to gather.
Maintenance and operations
The new maintenance and operations building at the district offices in Sunnyvale replaces outdated, hangar-style buildings that were neither to code nor approved by the Division of State Architect.
The new 18,000-square-foot building encompasses warehouse and shop spaces, maintenance, operations and information technology offices, as well as a new district-wide server room.
“The buildings at Homestead and Lynbrook provide high-performance learning environments for students, teachers and educational programs, and the maintenance and operations facility will help the district maintain those facilities for years to come,” said QKA President and CEO Aaron Jobson.