In Gulf Shores, a city on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, a new $137 million high school broke ground in late April and is expected to open in the fall of 2026.
Designed by DLR Group and Goodwyn Mills Cawood, the 287,000-sf Gulf Shores High School will offer cutting-edge facilities and hands-on learning opportunities. The school will include state-of-the-art academic labs specializing in biomedical, marine biology, culinary arts, and finance, as well as spaces for music production, broadcasting, and the arts.
The school’s collaborative spaces include widened hallways, a media center with a maker space and video production studio, and a courtyard with “learning stairs” for interaction. The design also serves Gulf Shores City Schools’ emphasis on inclusivity and diversity of learning styles, with adaptable learning spaces and flexible classroom designs.
A notable feature of the new school is a “flex suite,” a versatile area that can accommodate groups of varying sizes, with seamless transitions between various activities. Similarly, the main hallway’s “sandbar” offers students a space to connect academically and socially.
The school’s Dolphin athletics center will be equipped with competition-size gymnasiums, locker rooms, athletic training rooms, a weight room, and a full-length covered practice facility.
Drawing on the coastal surroundings, the design features vibrant blue tones and other details that evoke the Gulf’s shoreline. Tall windows and expansive glass panels provide natural light and create an energizing learning atmosphere.
“The collective dedication of our educators, passionate community members, and forward-thinking leaders has shaped the vision for our new Gulf Shores High School,” Kevin Corcoran, Gulf Shores City Schools board of education president, said in a statement. “This school will be a hub of innovation, a center for excellence, and shape the future for generations to come.”
On the Building Team:
Owners: Gulf Shores City Schools and The City of Gulf Shores
Architect of record: Goodwyn Mills Cawood
Design architects: DLR Group and Goodwyn Mills Cawood
MEP engineer: DLR Group
Structural engineer: Tucker-Jones Engineers Associates
Interior designer, civil engineer, landscape architect: Goodwyn Mills Cawood
Interior designer, theatrical designer, lighting and acoustical engineer: DLR Group
Program manager: Volkert, Inc.
General contractor: Rabren General Contractors
Related Stories
K-12 Schools | Dec 12, 2016
Building a nation of super schools
AEC teams are being asked to design and build schools with enough flexibility to adapt to changing pedagogies.
School Construction | Oct 23, 2016
As construction rebounds, education sector spending flattens
Post-recession slump suggests a settling in at a “normal” level similar to the mid aughts.
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
Novel construction approach speeds K-12 school projects
The Folia system uses pre-engineered components to deliver school buildings at 20% less cost.
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
11 great solutions for the commercial construction market
A roll-up emergency department, next-gen telemedicine center, and biophilic cooling pods are among the AEC industry’s clever ideas and novel innovations for 2016.
K-12 Schools | Aug 4, 2016
First Look: New Sandy Hook Elementary School blends safety and nature
The new Sandy Hook Elementary School has been carefully designed with state-of-the-art safety measures to keep students safe.
| Aug 1, 2016
K-12 SCHOOL GIANTS: In a new era of K-12 education, flexibility is crucial to design
Space flexibility is critical to classroom design. Spaces have to be adaptable, even allowing for drastic changes such as a doubling of classroom size.
| Aug 1, 2016
Top 80 K-12 School Construction Firms
Gilbane, Balfour Beatty, and Core Construction head Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest K-12 school sector construction and construction management firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 1, 2016
Top 60 K-12 School Engineering Firms
AECOM, Jacobs, and STV top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest K-12 school sector engineering and E/A firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 1, 2016
Top 100 K-12 School Architecture Firms
DLR Group, Stantec, and Huckabee top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest K-12 school sector architecture and A/E firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
K-12 Schools | Jun 2, 2016
Chicago charter school designed by Studio Gang emphasizes sustainability and wellness
The Academy for Global Citizenship’s new purpose-built structure, located in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood of Chicago, is meant to reflect its operating philosophy that the path to a more sustainable future begins in the classroom.
