St. Charles North High School

St. Charles, Illinois

Firm

Hestrup and Associates-Architects

Client

Community Unit School District No. 303

Area

345,000 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$41,500,000

Completion Date

08/2000

A collaborative process that combined the expertise of educators and the architect developed the guiding principles for planning St. Charles North High School. The requirements were for a facility/learning environment that would facilitate:
-Student learning.
-New forms of assessment.
-Accommodation of curriculum integration.
-Support of cooperative learning.
-Flexibility and adaptability to incorporate change in curriculum.
In classrooms and some science labs, movable walls allow flexibility for large, collaborative group learning. A courtyard between the new and existing building allows natural light into the classrooms, art rooms and learning resource center (LRC).
The athletic wing includes a 2,530-seat gymnasium with mezzanine, natatorium with eight-lane pool and mezzanine seating for 470, locker rooms, and weight and training rooms.
The fine-arts wing houses an 880-seat auditorium with adjacent band, orchestra and vocal practice studios.
The existing cafeteria and LRC were expanded and areas remodeled to create tiered computer labs, book storage and offices.

“Organizationally outstanding, well-designed.”–2001 jury