These details are small, but the architecture of the school shapes the atmosphere it holds. In the late 1960s, the school’s renovations were thought to be modern for its time. It didn’t follow the typical brick building and white walls that were considered normal. Instead, it was filled with glass-paned walls and red and black tiled floors. The most current renovation, completed in 2007, added more modern pieces, such as the spiral staircase and skylights.
The concrete walls and brick facade are said to give the building a sense of purpose. However, others disagree.“I have heard the comment that it appears the descendants of the Egyptian pyramid designers had a hand in the high school design,” Christine Wagner, the chair of the school’s building committee, said.
Also added in the new renovation was The Wagner Room, more classrooms and student facilities such as the TV studio and the Music Tech Lab. Perhaps the biggest change, however, was that two separate cafeterias were combined into one. “To me, this had a great, positive social impact,” Principal Tony Pavia said. As students were not separated based on age or clique, one cafeteria was unifying. “The concept of one cafeteria shows the school coming together and embracing unity,” he said.
The atrium, known as the spiral staircase, was made to be a central gathering place for students. “It was probably the most expensive piece in the renovation,” Mr. Pavia said. However, it was important to include because it gives students an easy place to meet.
In the mornings, students can be found talking near the railings of the spiral staircase as the sun seeps in through the skylight. “There is no substitute for natural light,” Ms. Wagner said.
There are hidden symbols of the school in the architecture. The entrance’s skylight is bordered by a circling ram horn. When you look down at the floor, the exact same ram horn is copied from the ceiling to the tiles. “It is interesting how the architects were able to incorporate school symbols in the architecture,” Photography teacher, Jeanne McDonagh said. “I personally like the subtle changes woven into the school.”
Because it has a modern architecture base, the school can be thought of as artistic, even in the layout. If you put a line of symmetry through the school vertically, the two sides would match up. The third floor, which is like a rectangle, can be folded in half. On the second and third floors, the gym matches up with the cafeteria area. Even the library lines up perfectly with guidance.
Senior Max Carrillo said that the architecture of the school is symbolic of our students. “Though the materials that make up the school are different, the structure is the same; which in a way, is like our student body,” he said.
