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Albert Einstein Academy Charter High School

A Beacon on the Hill

Client

San Diego Unified School District

Project Location

San Diego, CA

Area

84,000 SF

Project Type

Adaptive Reuse

Our creative solution for the Albert Einstein Academy Charter High School repurposes an existing 1970s hospital with full seismic and system upgrades. Replanning the building accommodates various programmatic needs and responds to ever-evolving teaching and learning styles. The three primary academic concepts of the school center on personal attention that focuses on individual students; stimulating environments that promote a thirst for knowledge; and a strong collaborative culture that facilitates holistic student learning.

Interior design inspiration is drawn from Einstein’s theory of protons, illustrating the path of light and color flow. Common areas, such as the lobby, library, theater, multipurpose room, and corridor all embody this concept. A main feature wall in the lobby showcases a captivating color flow of light and seamlessly incorporates the school logo and colors. Warm materials at the reception and ceiling contribute to an inviting and welcoming atmosphere within the space. Stencil concrete also projects light onto the floor to emphasize the designated waiting area in the lobby.

The theater’s ceiling shape complements the seating arrangement and maintains the nod to light, while wall panels capture the radiance of a light beam from above and contribute to a warm ambiance in the space. Light flow is accentuated in the multipurpose room through movement reflected from light strips suspended from the ceiling. The upper floor corridor’s vibrant color scheme creates a reflective and immersive learning environment.

A New Purpose

Our design solution extends the life of the building and re-establishes its relevance to the community it serves. At an impressive scale, the school is visible from a distance and stands out from surrounding buildings both day and night. Seamlessly connecting the interior and exterior enhances learning activities and takes full advantage of the mild San Diego climate.



01
Community Centric

A Neighborhood Resource

The dream of an Albert Einstein Academy Charter High School stretches back to Albert Einstein Academy’s opening in 2002. With just a few dozen students in kindergarten, AEA’s founders foresaw the wisdom of a K-12 educational journey grounded in the International Baccalaureate program. Our design is the adaptive reuse of a six-story, 1970s hospital building nestled prominently in the hillside of Grant Hill Park overlooking downtown San Diego. This beacon on the hill creates engaging learning opportunities and inspires students to find their passions in IB career-related programs in arts, education, business, technology, and health services.

 

Through a transparent planning process with neighbors, educators, administrators, and students, the school meets specific needs of the surrounding community. Synergies and connected learning opportunities are created between the high school and the adjacent middle school located on the same site. A thrift store located at the main entry plaza and operated the student body serves many nearby community members in need.

02
Building Overhaul

Re-Imaging a Dilapidated Structure

Our design revitalizes a run-down building that had become of little use to the community. Nestled prominently in a hillside overlooking downtown San Diego, AEACHS expresses activity and promotes its relevance to the community. Its highly visual connection to the neighborhood instills a sense of leadership and vision and inspires students to reach for higher goals and aspirations. The small site necessitates maximizing the use of all outdoor spaces where social interaction, physical activity, and learning occurs naturally. This is accomplished by converting roof areas to outdoor occupiable roof decks.

03
Collaborative Culture

Holistic Student Learning

AEACHS is dedicated to cultivating critical thinkers, aiming to educate students to thrive and contribute as active thinkers in the world. Three primary academic concepts are centered on personal attention that focuses on individual students, stimulating environments that promote a thirst for knowledge and a strong collaborative culture that facilitates holistic student learning.

 

Our design provides multiple opportunities for educators to deliver individualized attention and support. It also promotes a school environment that is developmentally appropriate and stimulates students’ creativity while promoting a thirst for knowledge. Working in unison, educators embrace a collaborative model that facilitates academic articulation, programmatic innovation, and genuine support for holistic student learning.

04
Sustainability

Adaptive Reuse

The most sustainable building is the one you don’t build but is one already built and repurposed. Sustainability was a key factor in design decisions regarding the creation of learning environments and accommodating energy efficiencies. Knowing that adapted structures emit less carbon over their lifespan compared to new construction, over 90 percent of the existing concrete structure remains as part of the new building. This solution offsets landfill waste and minimizes embodied carbon.

05
Daylighting

Panoramic Views

Navigating the six-story building is made easy by converting the existing four cab elevator core to a grand communicating stair for student circulation. At the west side of the building a new elevator and small group learning spaces will be added at each floor. Allowing daylight to flood the building and all students will experience the panoramic views of the bay and downtown San Diego.

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