Celebrating the beginning of its second academic year, the Dan Dipert Career + Technical Center (CTC) serves approximately 2,400 students from across the Arlington Independent School District (AISD) in Texas. Designed by VLK Architects, the CTC incorporates Tubelite Inc.'s storefront, curtainwall, entrances and sun shades – on both the building's exterior and interior – emphasizing transparency to promote collaboration and connection.
Providing real world experiences and skills for high school juniors and seniors, the CTC's purpose-built, two-story structure spans 169,800 square feet to accommodate Career Technical Education programs in 18 specialized academies ranging from culinary arts to robotics. The facility is designed for flexibility to evolve and adapt to changing programs and future areas of interests.
"Collaboration at all levels is the driving force behind the design," described VLK Architects Project Designer Richard Hunt, AIA, LEED AP. "Expressive and monumental, the architecture is unique to the neighborhood and city as a whole. The expansive curtainwall, featuring diagonal sun shade fins, serves as a subconscious billboard to passersby – visitors and students understand they are entering an institution of higher learning and not just another run-of-the-mill high school building."