Creating a secure campus where students can learn real life skills

Sam Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center High School

Built in 1954, the original Sam Houston high school was small due to the low neighborhood density at the time. As it grew over the years, each addition was designed to meet specific needs without consideration of the overall campus layout. This resulted in a lack of connectivity, long walks between multiple buildings, and several security issues due to over 90 different vulnerable access points to the site, poor sight lines, and the urban neighborhood.

When it came time to rebuild the school, our team was there to help. The goal? To ensure the district and the community served by Sam Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center (SHMSTC) had a secure campus and that would accommodate career and technology program needs. To provide the best possible environment for the linked learning initiative, the career technical education (CTE) learning centers were in grouped into academic “neighborhoods”. Some of the CTE programs include auto technology, cosmetology, machining, plumbing, manufacturing, health sciences, IT, computer programming, and engineering.

SHMSTC is more than just a building for students. It responds to the lack of public space in these neighborhoods, providing a place where families can gather after events or have breakfast together before school. Spaces within the school are used regularly for after-hours community events, and the facility further strengthens the school community by bringing students together into a cohesive campus.