Through extensive research, data gathering, tours, and engagement, Huckabee’s Planning Team worked with Plano ISD’s CTE Leadership Committee to create a roadmap for building a new, innovative, student-centric, and experience-rich CTE center. The first step was to work together to identify what CTE programs would be housed at the new CTE Center, and which ones would be at the high school and senior high campuses. Huckabee then led activities to define the user experience for the new facility, prompting stakeholders to articulate what perceptions and reactions they wanted the building to inspire in students, staff, and visitors.
Next, the team identified existing buildings to serve as models for the design of common areas, program areas, signage, wayfinding, and more. Through that activity, the district determined that they wanted a welcoming and inspiring entrance with architectural interest, and covered areas for outdoor learning and socialization. A bright, high-volume multipurpose commons with plenty of transparency encourages students to spend more time on campus while putting learning and career path opportunities on display. Open lounge-like spaces throughout the facility emphasize collaboration and flexibility. Everything is delivered with a professional, collegiate aesthetic.
Tours of higher ed, CTE, workshare spaces, and corporate offices also contributed to the vision for the facility. All planning activities informed the programming process for the CTE center, during which the team verified the spaces needed, determined how many square feet to allocate for each space, and confirmed the scope and budget of the facility. Huckabee’s architectural staff then led activities for educators and district stakeholders to determine which spaces would sit next to each other, and came up with concepts for the site and the building. Ultimately, through collaboration and stakeholder engagement, the Planning team worked toward a solution that best served students and met program space requirements.
