School design theories have come a long way since the 1950s. Gone are the standardized boxy structures, and in are spaces filled with natural light that promote learning in a healthy environment. A case in point is Wichita High School Southeast, a new campus that replaces a 1950s structure and meets the community's growing population needs with current design practices. The exterior showcases the school's pride and adoption of cost-effective, durable building materials with Citadel Architectural Products’ Envelope 2000 metal composite material (MCM), installed using the RainScreen (RS) attachment system.
“This was the first all new, comprehensive high school for the district since the 1970s, so they wanted something permanent but modern," say Malcolm Watkins AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, vice president of Schaefer Johnson Cox Frey in Wichita, Kan.