Gunn Fine Arts & Dual Language Academy
Project Size
213,900 sq ft.
ViBE Scope of Services
Construction Completion
Environmental Graphic Design, Signage and Wayfinding
2022
Client
Arlington Independent School District
Arlington, Texas
Gunn Fine Arts & Dual Language Academy
Arlington, Texas
Client
ViBE Scope of Services
Construction Completion
Arlington Independent School District
Environmental Graphic Design, Signage and Wayfinding
2022
Project Size
213,900 sq ft.
The Gunn FADL (Fine Arts and Dual Langage) Academy is the Junior High extension of the wildly popular and successful program that started with the implementation of the Academy programs through the additions/renovations of Jones and Corey Elementary Schools during the 2014 bond.
Gunn Junior High School opened its doors in the fall of 1972. It is named after Floyd M. Gunn (1912-2007) Arlington School Board president (1964-1970). His friends called him the "Oldest Living Gunn Gator in captivity" and at the age of 94, he passed away on April 1, 2007. Mr. Gunn loved coming to the school, seeing the students and teachers, and taking part in the many activities at the school which bear his name.
The next chapter of Gunn JH includes the additions and renovations to accommodate the new FADL Academy that reflects and respects the 47-year history of this school, and creates a design that is inspired by the proud Gator tradition. Much like the real thing, the hangout for the Gunn Gators has been lovingly known as the Swamp. The image of the swamp serves as inspiration for the design of the new Gunn academy, and of the new hangout spaces for its students. The image of the swamp serves as an organizing element at the parti level. The student gathering areas mimic those natural clearings and invite activity and interaction. Similarly, an abstracted conceptualization of the image of the swamp informs the patterns and materials throughout the building.
The Gunn FADL (Fine Arts and Dual Langage) Academy is the Junior High extension of the wildly popular and successful program that started with the implementation of the Academy programs through the additions/renovations of Jones and Corey Elementary Schools during the 2014 bond.
Gunn Junior High School opened its doors in the fall of 1972. It is named after Floyd M. Gunn (1912-2007) Arlington School Board president (1964-1970). His friends called him the "Oldest Living Gunn Gator in captivity" and at the age of 94, he passed away on April 1, 2007. Mr. Gunn loved coming to the school, seeing the students and teachers, and taking part in the many activities at the school which bear his name.
The next chapter of Gunn JH includes the additions and renovations to accommodate the new FADL Academy that reflects and respects the 47-year history of this school, and creates a design that is inspired by the proud Gator tradition. Much like the real thing, the hangout for the Gunn Gators has been lovingly known as the Swamp. The image of the swamp serves as inspiration for the design of the new Gunn academy, and of the new hangout spaces for its students. The image of the swamp serves as an organizing element at the parti level. The student gathering areas mimic those natural clearings and invite activity and interaction. Similarly, an abstracted conceptualization of the image of the swamp informs the patterns and materials throughout the building.
The design draws inspiration from the major themes established during visioning for the reimagined Gunn; Freedom, Creativity, and Empathy. As students graduate from their elementary academies into Gunn, they will have the freedom to explore and pursue specific areas of interest within the arts. The fine arts along with the dual-language curriculum will spark students’ creativity and will connect them to people with other cultures and backgrounds. That empathy towards different cultures will allow Gunn students to thrive as culturally responsible citizens.
The design of the new Gunn Academy connects the existing athletic and dining building with the main academic building by infilling the existing breezeway. This new area known as the SWAMP becomes the heart of the renovated school, by creating an open media center overlooked by the new maker space lab across from the expanded kitchen/dining spaces at the nexus of daily student travel between athletics, academics, and the dining/performance space. Comprehensive interior renovations make sure the new Gunn feel is consistent throughout and opens up the existing footprint, allowing for collaborative student inquiry in a variety of spaces.
In order to ensure that all students at Gunn felt as one, regardless of their FADL or the traditional curriculum pathway, Stantec facilitated a visioning process to create a House concept. This process developed a brand and identity for each house based upon the aspirational goals for students and the multicultural aspect of a dual language campus that also respects the demographic makeup of the student body. Finalizing the "brand" for each house involved creating an animal totem based on each house's core principal's and connecting it back to the new Gator as a reminder that each house is a part of creating the Gunn Gator community.
The design draws inspiration from the major themes established during visioning for the reimagined Gunn; Freedom, Creativity, and Empathy. As students graduate from their elementary academies into Gunn, they will have the freedom to explore and pursue specific areas of interest within the arts. The fine arts along with the dual-language curriculum will spark students’ creativity and will connect them to people with other cultures and backgrounds. That empathy towards different cultures will allow Gunn students to thrive as culturally responsible citizens.
The design of the new Gunn Academy connects the existing athletic and dining building with the main academic building by infilling the existing breezeway. This new area known as the SWAMP becomes the heart of the renovated school, by creating an open media center overlooked by the new maker space lab across from the expanded kitchen/dining spaces at the nexus of daily student travel between athletics, academics, and the dining/performance space. Comprehensive interior renovations make sure the new Gunn feel is consistent throughout and opens up the existing footprint, allowing for collaborative student inquiry in a variety of spaces.
In order to ensure that all students at Gunn felt as one, regardless of their FADL or the traditional curriculum pathway, Stantec facilitated a visioning process to create a House concept. This process developed a brand and identity for each house based upon the aspirational goals for students and the multicultural aspect of a dual language campus that also respects the demographic makeup of the student body. Finalizing the "brand" for each house involved creating an animal totem based on each house's core principal's and connecting it back to the new Gator as a reminder that each house is a part of creating the Gunn Gator community.