Christopher High School, Phase One
Gilroy, Calif.

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the 900-student Christopher High School, Phase One, for which we are providing structural engineering services for BCA Architects, took place last month. Phase Two will break ground by the middle of next year and will double the capacity of the school. Located in the ’’Garlic Capital of the World” and home to commuters to Silicon Valley and San Jose, it is the second high school in the growing town. Classical design elements such as natural stone and ornate entry façades reflect the architecture of the first Gilroy High School built in 1912. The dense, two-story campus provides unrestricted views of the countryside and foothills and offers open space for a variety of sports. A fan-shaped layout allows for outdoor learning environments around a central quadrangle, the social hub of the campus. Green design elements include ample windows and light shelves for natural light and ventilation, energy-efficient mechanical systems, drought-tolerant landscaping and a compact site plan. The pre-cast concrete panel exterior skin was fabricated by a local concrete plant and 93.5% of construction debris from the project was recycled. The school was designed to produce 30% of its power needs with rooftop solar photovoltaic panels. An important component of the project is the prevention of accidents and crime through appropriate design.