Project-in-Design

Award of Honor

Cajon Valley Middle School Redevelopment

Cajon Valley Union School District

Sprotte + Watson Architecture & Planning

The planning goal of this project is to develop a 55-year old inner city middle school with an existing adjacent city park. To allow funding, the project will be developed in three phases, each lasting a year. A joint-use planning process was utilized between the District and the City of El Cajon on the Phase I Multi-Purpose Gymnasium Building. The District, the school staff and the architect developed the building program for the remainder of the new campus facilities and for the modernization of the existing 1950's finger plan school. The District educational program provides equal learning opportunities for students in the inner city as compared to students in the suburbs.

The joint-use facilities shared between the District and the City include four meeting/classrooms, a multi-function gym, locker rooms and a dance room. Hard courts, fields, Commons area and Lunch court are shared or available for use. The southern orientation of the campus allows optimum light exposure for daylight through integrated clerestories, skylights and light shelves on the new and existing buildings. This project is assisting the community in its urban redevelopment efforts.

The Jury took notice of the joint-use component of this project and commented how important it is to recognize successful partnerships. They remarked on the good solution between the redevelopment agency and the school district that will result in a facility that will serve not only the school, but the community as well.