HOUxEDU School Tours

HOUxEDU School Tours
The Welch Outdoor Learning Center
Thursday, March 9, noon-1:30pm

Can design enhance a student’s learning experience? Explore this question with Architecture Center Houston at a series of tours exploring K-12 schools across Houston, organized in conjunction with their exhibition HOUxEDU.

The Welch Outdoor Learning Center (OLC) began with the vision of a group of Katy ISD officials who believed a facility devoted to outdoor education and experiential learning would make a difference in the lives of students and the growing Katy community. Since opening its doors in 1982, the OLC has offered instructional opportunities that enrich and extend the District’s science and social studies curriculum in a stimulating learning environment, outside of the traditional classroom.

The OLC continually immerses students in nature and makes it an essential component of the learning framework. Outdoor instructional areas and indoor open-concept spaces support learning through observation, engagement, and hands-on participation while also providing ample space to continue supporting community events and summer recreation programs.

In 2019-2020, working collaboratively with the school district and stakeholders, the Stantec design team focused on creating a facility that represented the Center's vision of unparalleled learning and nurturing curiosity, while acting as a steward of the natural environment.The resulting design included major infrastructure and building system upgrades, renovating and replacing existing infrastructure and building new fishing and archery pavilions.

Head back to school with a tour of the Welch OLC with architects Parul Vyas, AIA and Raul Pinol-Marti (Stantec); Paul Dunk (Welch Outdoor Learning Center, Katy ISD); and Lisa Kassman, Executive Director of Facilities Planning and Construction, Katy ISD.

Tour includes a box lunch.
 

AIA Credit: 1.5 LU