Background

Schools have an historical tendency to undervalue their t ransitional spaces, those areas that are not classrooms or assigned administrative, clerical, or support designations. We have c onvinced our client, [|Sweetwater High School] (SUHI) in National City, CA, that these transitional spaces can serve a multitude of purposes that will assist all of their stakeholders.

SUHI has a long, rich history in the South Bay region of San Diego. Built in 1921, it is the oldest high school in the [|Sweetwater Union High School District]. While the original buildings are no longer extant—the oldest building traces its lineage back to the New Deal—unfortunately the proud Red Devils have been making due with outdated facilities for years. While it may be apocryphal, there are persistent stories that many of the original desks and chairs are still being utilized. (It has been conclusively demonstrated that none of the original teachers are still employed there, despite student rumors.)

Sweetwater's High School's previous "face" (or the "100 Building" as Red Devils called it) housed 4 classrooms, the library, two teacher's lounges, the nurse's office and all administrative offices. Aside from the library and the classrooms there were no usable transition spaces that could feasibly be adapted to learning. Students, staff, or campus visitors typically used the building as a waypoint to get to the classrooms or administrative offices within the building. The school's entrance, which is the focus of this project, was largely a vacant hallway.

What is decidedly true is that the historical fabric of the community is inextricably tied to the school. The only high school in National City, SUHI is one of the key focal points. The students and parents want and deserve a school they can be proud of. With the passage of [|Proposition BB] in 2000 and [|Proposition O] in 2006, the funds are now available to make the SUHI campus a beacon of learning in the South Bay. The modern, open design and emphasis on ‘green’ technologies in both the construction and layout of the architecture demands that a fresh look be taken in how the spaces within the buildings are to be utilized. With demolition of the administrative building already accomplished and the rebuilding due to begin in just months, we have been working frantically with [|Sundt Construction] and the architectural firm of [|BCA Architects] to make sure the transitional spaces are implemented in an exciting, useful way.