Gilroy High School just added another award to it’s trophy
case.
The modern glass and wood student center, which sticks out like
an attractive sore thumb against the squat classroom buildings,
earned Kasavan Architects the Silver Award in the
”
Students Love It
”
category of a competition held by SchoolDesigner.com, a national
organization created to help elevate the level of school design
around the world. A panel of industry professionals and students
from all over the United States selected the student center, which
houses a cafeteria, counselors and athletic offices.
Gilroy High School just added another award to it’s trophy case.
The modern glass and wood student center, which sticks out like an attractive sore thumb against the squat classroom buildings, earned Kasavan Architects the Silver Award in the “Students Love It” category of a competition held by SchoolDesigner.com, a national organization created to help elevate the level of school design around the world. A panel of industry professionals and students from all over the United States selected the student center, which houses a cafeteria, counselors and athletic offices.
The building opened in April 2006, giving GHS students shelter from the elements during their lunch hour. Students never had a cafeteria until the student center opened up, said Janie Gillespie, office coordinator.
“Rain, sleet, snow or shine, those kids were always outside,” she said.
The student center, one of the largest sit-down meeting rooms in Gilroy, resembles a “ski chalet,” Principal Jim Maxwell observed. The soaring ceiling beams, two large glass faces angled toward the campus and bifolding doors provide a spacious, yet homey feel, a student judge said.
“We are very proud of this building,” stated Peter Kasavan in a press release. “We’re even more proud of the fact that the toughest critics, the kids, found it cool and appreciated the design.”
The building is used for various community, school and city organizations.
“The people who build it understood that it was a permanent structure that would serve the community as a whole, not just GHS,” Maxwell said.
