HOUxEDU School Tours

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.

Energy Institute High School, situated in the Third Ward community, is the newest magnet school in the Houston Independent School District and the first “energy” school in the Nation. Project-based learning (PBL) is utilized in the pathways of the geo sciences, alternative energy, and offshore technology for this 800 student campus.

Working with the community-based Project Advisory Team (PAT) which includes energy sector businesses, VLK Architects and Houston ISD organized a design charrette to establish the goals, priorities, and initial design concept for the project. The resulting concept features a 114,000 square foot campus-like setting, mimicking many of the corporate campuses where energy students visit and intern during their high school education. PBL is supported through a variety of spaces including small classrooms, project rooms, and various collaboration spaces. An outdoor courtyard is the center of the campus with a shaded tiered collaboration area and outdoor instructional spaces. The design supports a technology rich campus that is part of the PowerUp 1:1 initiative and all instructional spaces are equipped with smart interactive monitors.

Head back to school with a tour of the Energy Institute High School (HISD) architect, Krista Thomas, Assoc. AIA (VLK Architects); Amanda Alexander, Magnet Coordinator & Industry Liaison (Energy Institute High School); and Lori Lambropoulos, Principal (Energy Institute High School).

Tour includes a box lunch.

AIA Credit: 2.0 LU