Sage Creek High School

With an emphasis on environmental learning and experience, Sage Creek High School is recognized by the Collaborative for High Performance Schools. Composed of classrooms, science laboratories, administration, library, media center, food services, gym, lockers and fine arts, the school houses over 1500 students as a comprehensive high school. The campus design emphasizes a dynamic balance of human-made environment with nature; bordering a nature preserve, the new campus is terraced into the hillside which creates a connection of the building to the landscape and provides diverse learning spaces, including a variety of indoor and outdoor teaching venues. The eastern portions of the 56-acre site remain undisturbed, realizing a visual seamless transition to the adjacent California native landscape. Featuring water quality education, a re-aligned bioswale was created to maintain drainage through the site. Other learning elements include: harvesting rainwater for irrigation, maximizing natural light and thermal chimneys in classrooms for passive ventilation. The campus is organized in four terraces with compact building footprints comprised of two- and three-story structures. The buildings are organized to front a central circulation spine, forming a main “Promenade” pathway. Student access to the various floor levels of each building originates from the Promenade, allowing for clear and easy circulation throughout the campus. The school program is organized by a site hierarchy with the academic classrooms at the highest level and expansive views that inspire student’s future growth and advancement. Additionally, the buildings demonstrate sustainability strategies, making environmental performance an everyday learning opportunity. The architectural and site design fosters an intellectual understanding and experience of natural systems. This school is one of the first to employ thermal chimneys in classrooms for passive ventilation.