Bellevue Road Area High School, New Campus

Merced, California

Firm

BCA Architects

Client

Merced Union High School District

Area

187,554 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$77,000,000

Completion Date

06/2010

The 53-acre site for this high school is situated in growing north Merced near the new University of California campus. The interconnected buildings wrap around a large central quadrangle that provides exceptional visual supervision while allowing the public after-hours access to areas such as the main 1,400-seat gym, 250-seat performing-arts theater, cafeteria and library.
The architect led two separate committees through the process of designing the school, building consensus in a collaborative environment throughout the district and community. The desire to convey an attitude of “student achievement” in a high-quality, safe educational environment became the core of the design.
The sweeping curve of the main two-story buildings was designed to express the feeling of simple elegance. As a Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) facility, this school will be built with sustainable products and materials such as masonry, steel and energy-efficient equipment. A fundamental principle of the design is that “when provided with a quality learning environment, students respond with pride, commitment and respect.”