The new Capital High School (CHS) Performing Arts Center is the centerpiece of a comprehensive campus upgrade that included updating exterior surfaces to improve thermal performance, weather protection, and aesthetics, replacing mechanical systems, and re-roofing significant portions of the existing building.
The Performing Arts Center is a free-standing building allowing the community to access the facility independently of the main school. The new Performing Arts Center is positioned in the northwest quadrant of the site to maximize accessibility and improve campus organization. As both a school facility and community amenity, the placement of the building is convenient for both visitors arriving from off-campus and student musicians and performers from the main building. Spaces are designed to facilitate the teaching of a variety of production skills, from operating lighting and audio controls to stagecraft and costuming.
Capital High School has experienced numerous alterations and additions throughout the years—portions of the school date to the original construction in the 1970s. The envelope upgrades include covering original marblecrete panels with a variety of contemporary, highly durable, and low-maintenance metal panels. The new cladding offers improved weather protection and enhanced energy performance for windows and air barrier transitions. A palette of neutral materials augmented with bolder color focal points increases campus cohesiveness and improves the facility’s overall appearance, way-finding, and school identity.
