Three San Diego Unified Schools Nominated for Architectural Awards
Aug. 15, 2022
SAN DIEGO - Three San Diego Unified campuses that underwent major bond-funded transformations are now up for architectural awards.
The San Diego Architectural Foundation published its annual list of ‘Orchids and Onions’ nominations to its website, which included newly transformed campuses at Wilson Middle School and Logan Memorial Education Campus, and the new music building at Mira Mesa High School.
To be nominated for a SDAF orchid award, a facility must show respect and contribute to its surrounding community while also bringing a sense of civic pride, promote sustainability while providing a social and economic benefit to San Diegans, support community building, and be technologically or environmentally innovative.
The campuses join 72 other buildings across San Diego nominated for an orchid, including San Diego staples Seaport Village and the Hotel Del, and follow two previous architectural awards. Patrick Henry High School’s Arts, Media, and Entertainment (PHAME) theater won an orchid award for architecture in 2017, with Hoover High School’s theater, classroom, and administrative complex winning a PCBC (formerly Pacific Coast Builders Conference) Gold Nugget Award of Merit for “Best Educational Project” in 2021.
The San Diego Architectural Foundation (SDAF) will open its public voting period for the People’s Choice Award on August 18. To vote, visit https://orchidsandonions.org/vote/. Winners will be announced this fall.
Here is a look at the three San Diego Unified schools nominated for an orchid award. View the full list of nominations here.
Wilson Middle School Campus
A landmark campus in City Heights, Wilson Middle’s newly transformed campus features seven new classroom buildings with indoor and outdoor collaborative work spaces, a performing arts center, a science garden, a parking structure complete with a rooftop playcourt, shade canopies, solar panels, and a “thermal chimney” system that promotes natural ventilation in each classroom and many water conserving elements. The campus will be joined by an adjoining new campus for Central Elementary, which is currently under construction. A joint-use playfield linking the two campuses will also be included.
Logan Memorial Educational Campus (LMEC)
Logan Memorial Educational Campus in Logan Heights features the first high school in Logan Heights' history and a Child Development Center known as "El Nido." The modern campus merged the existing Logan K-8 and Memorial Preparatory Academy campuses into a single comprehensive TK-12 educational complex. The TK-5 campus houses a new administrative office space, a multi-purpose building with food service facilities, and a two-story wing of classrooms.
The existing Memorial Preparatory sixth-through-eighth grade site is now a 7th-12th grade campus. Three existing buildings along Logan Avenue were transformed into a theater, kitchen/cafeteria, and career pathways educational spaces. A new gymnasium, administration/library building, and two two-story classroom buildings have also been constructed.
Mira Mesa High School New Music Building
Mira Mesa High’s new music building complements one of the strongest music programs in California, with 266 band members and 65 orchestra members. The band participates in multiple on-site and national events throughout the year, including Rose Parade and Carnegie Hall performances.
This program's success and expansion led to a new state-of-the-art facility that features band and orchestra rehearsal rooms, practice spaces and storage, and memorabilia cases.
ABOUT SAN DIEGO UNIFIED’S CAPITAL BOND IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
San Diego Unified’s capital projects are funded by Propositions S and Z, and Measure YY, which are local bond measures approved by San Diego voters to repair, renovate and revitalize neighborhood schools.
ABOUT ORCHIDS AND ONIONS
Orchids & Onions is an educational and fundraising program of the San Diego Architectural Foundation, a 501(c)3, nonprofit organization with a mission to educate and promote outstanding architecture, landscape, interior, and urban design to improve the quality of life for all San Diegans. SDAF sponsors public programs throughout the year, including youth programs, architectural tours, and community events.
Orchids & Onions serves to raise awareness and encourage practical discourse about the built environment, thereby effecting positive change and more thoughtful design.
ABOUT THE SAN DIEGO ARCHITECTURAL FOUNDATION
The San Diego Architectural Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with the mission to educate and promote outstanding architecture, landscape, interior, and urban design to improve the quality of life for all San Diegans. SDAF sponsors public programs throughout the year, including youth programs, architectural tours and social events. To learn more about SDAF and Orchids & Onions, visit www.sdarchitecture.org.
###