ORIGINALLY POSTED 10/01/2017 |
FROM THE FALL 2017 ISSUE
Turning the original Fox Tech building鈥攁 vocational training facility built in the 1930s鈥攊nto a high-tech haven for bright teenage students was no small feat. Dropped ceilings were removed, clutter was cleared, and natural light became a focal point. Beyond the bricks, however, the CAST Tech facility ingeniously integrates technology.
鈥淲hen I first saw it, it looked like an old, dingy warehouse,鈥 admits Carmen Fies, UTSA鈥檚 educator in residence at the high school. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e gutted that building. The H-E-B architects did a phenomenal job in conceptualizing that space as one that鈥檚 inviting, that鈥檚 filled with light, and that has spaces that are fluid. During the course of the day, the students almost have a 鈥榗af茅鈥 experience.鈥
Designed by architectural teams from H-E-B and the San Antonio Independent School District, here are a few highlights from CAST Tech鈥檚 facility:
鈥 Varied Classrooms: Each classroom includes three areas designed to encourage learning and problem solving in different ways. One area emphasizes traditional teacher-led instruction. Another includes a conference table built for peer collaboration. A third provides private cubicles built for independent study.
鈥 Learning Staircase: Inspired by a similar model at Rackspace鈥檚 San Antonio office, CAST Tech鈥檚 large staircase essentially doubles as stadium-style seating. The staircase is intended to serve as both a gathering and presentation space that will be frequently used when industry leaders stop by for speeches and Q&A sessions.
鈥 Open Spaces: Where most classrooms have walls, CAST Tech鈥檚 classrooms have windows. Whether they鈥檙e typing code from one of the school鈥檚 casual sofas or developing an app from a formal computer lab, the exposed infrastructure gives students the chance to check in on their peers and explore more learning opportunities.
鈥 Darkening Windows: The school鈥檚 exterior windows are crafted from dynamic glass that darkens in response to intensity of the sun, bringing in a level of light that avoids an overbearing glare on computer monitors.
