Garinger High School
Charlotte, North Carolina

The original design for Garinger High School was featured in a 1962 edition of National Geographic as Charlotte-Mecklenburg's showplace high school. This design of the campus featured a series of buildings grouped around hierarchical courtyards varied in scale for outdoor learning and nature. The renovation design concept was to foster the predominant features of the existing campus while adding new functional and visual qualities. The architectural analysis of the campus revealed the need to introduce design elements inspired by the existing materials and texture. This is reflected by the use of multi-colored pre-cast concrete, employed in a weave pattern. The new additions of the Student Lobby and the Administration Building are developed to be the focal point of the school campus providing a striking and inviting entrance while simulating the old open-air entry canopy. Other visual concepts such as legibility, clarity, and transparency were addressed to achieve a new school image.