Millington Central High School: CTE Building

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) building at MCHS is intended to replace an existing ‘70s campus building and provide more space for the growing technical education field, which is a trend seen within secondary schools across the country. Occupying one of the last vacant portions of the campus, the site is adjacent to the performing arts center and existing, large parking lot. The CTE building fronts the parking lot with a new covered plaza serving as outdoor classroom space accessed via overhead doors from the shop spaces within. The largely glazed façade offers a monumental presence and works in tandem with the performing arts center to create a dignified campus “front” to the parking lot. The building’s siting defines a new pedestrian promenade beginning at the parking lot, running between the CTE and arts center culminating at the center of campus with a landscaped courtyard. Perpendicular to the promenade is the primary circulation route through the CTE, bisecting the building into shop spaces and classroom spaces. The shops occupy the taller half of the building to accommodate large equipment and lifts while the classrooms are housed within the lower half and serve dual purpose as a storm shelter. The circulation path between the two is afforded the higher volume of the shops and wonderfully illuminated through clerestory windows at the roof transition. The building’s exteriors are an intentional departure from the existing context of heavy brick masses with small punched window openings. While the CTE’s materials are contextual, its design is one of lightness where the structure incorporates lighter weight materials and admits an abundance of daylight.