Calvert High School
- Type: Phased While Occupied Replacement
- Size/Area: 266,003 SF
- Owner: Calvert County Public Schools
- Location: 520 Fox Run Boulevard, Prince Frederick, MD20678
At Calvert High School, SEI developed a design and phasing approach which allowed Calvert
County Public Schools the opportunity to construct a new high school with an overlapping
footprint of the existing occupied high school over the course of a 51 month period. The
new plan and phasing approach allowed the existing high school to remain in operation until
the first phase of construction was complete.
Design of the 21st century learning environment was enhanced by natural grade and light.
The building takes advantage of grade change to shape dynamic spaces such as the slope
of auditorium and amphitheater floors and high-low conditions at art, music and CTE labs
permitting opportunities for lighting and views that would not otherwise exist.
Natural light was a key design factor inspiring a light shelf in the cafeteria, sky lit music
rooms, clerestory windows providing north light to art and CTE rooms, a light harvesting system
and most dramatically the translucent panel skylight.
The skylight encloses the media center and a communicating space which is used for assembly
and overflow cafeteria permitting a single lunch period. Automated shade systems allow
for both light control as well as heat gain mitigation. The skylight enclosure trades 25,000
SF of vertical exterior exposure for 8,000 SF of insulated panels yielding both immediate and
long term cost savings.
photography by Daniel Lucenti
