Central: Green School Tour + Happy Hour

About the Event:

Eastside Early College High School was recently awarded an AIA National Education Facility Design award for its design that intentionally connects a marginalized community, acknowledging its past, supporting its present, and offering opportunities for its future. The building's base incorporates the original Anderson High School's brick and midcentury modern lines, honoring the deep African American history of the site. Rising from this foundation, the new campus symbolizes the perseverance of a community whose school was closed by federal court order during desegregation.

The new school embraces sustainability through a compact, four-story design that maximizes efficiency, reduces embodied carbon through efficiently designed steel structure, and integrates reused materials like salvaged brick and hardwood from the original campus. Native landscaping, rain gardens, a multi-tiered runoff detention system, and condensate collection support water conservation and biodiversity. Daylighting was maximized through a glazing study that led to energy-efficient overhangs, enhancing both comfort and performance. The project also includes resiliency measures such as backup power, emergency supplies, and storm protection to serve the broader community in times of need.

Tour Hosted by:

Perkins&Will and Austin ISD