This project is a 2500 student comprehensive high school and stadium complex that shares the site with Pieper Ranch Middle School. Terracing the 90+ feet of elevation change saved costs and resources.
From the very beginning, this site was intended to accommodate a high school and middle school for the Kinder Ranch development. The breadth of the site was carefully considered in the design to minimize cut and fill and to retain as many heritage trees as possible. Key program components are:
Pieper High School sits atop a hill on the northern half of a site it shares with Pieper Ranch Middle School. By nestling the building into the grade, the four-story campus blends into the landscape and preserves the natural topography with a stair-stepped design. The stadium complex between the two schools allows for its shared use.
The building design is divided so that the high-traffic/noisy areas are opposite the quieter academic zones. The deconstructed library located at the heart of the school is a fluid space that melds into the cafeteria and then out to the terrace overlooking the stadium. The academic core can be easily transformed to facilitate future changes in educational delivery. Teacher think tanks and collaborative spaces are integrated into each classroom wing to promote cross-curricular collaboration. Fine arts spaces are grouped and have exterior access to support outdoor exercises. CTE spaces along the central core are highly visible to expose students to unfamiliar educational opportunities.
Because of the topography, the two adjacent gyms have upper-level access to the bleachers. The main gym has a total seating capacity of 1568, with 16 handicap-accessible seats. The auxiliary gym will seat 604 with eight handicap-accessible seats. The stadium has synthetic turf and a rubberized all-weather track. The elevated press box includes coaching boxes, media areas, and VIP suites.
Robyn Popa
Frank Amaro
Jazmine Byrom
