Studio W Architects was charged with developing a new gymnasium and new performing arts venue at the Aptos High School campus. Studio W’s unique solution to combine the Performing Arts Center and Gymnasium into one structure saved millions of dollars for the District and enabled the project to be constructed during times of rapidly escalating construction costs.
The siting and configuration of the new 42,800 square foot facility creates a vibrant outdoor quadrangle that has become the focal point for the students of the campus to gather. The Great Hall (corridor between the PAC and the Gym) connects the public parking lot to the student quad and provides a vibrant link, anchoring the new building to the campus proper.
The 450-seat performance center was designed in conjunction with the needs of the school theater group under the oversight of the drama teacher. Their needs for a fly tower, a full proscenium, good acoustics and a sense of intimacy for the audience were fully satisfied with an outstanding facility that students can “roll-up their sleeves” and use as a career technical education facility, including operating equipment such as the catwalks, rigging, amplified sound and computer-controlled lighting. A drama classroom and a scenery construction shop provide support for the theater. In addition to theatrics, the theater easily adapts to hands-on multi-media teaching, video and film.
The gymnasium has a seating capacity of 1,600 spectators housed on retractable bleachers allowing outstanding viewing of the competition basketball floor. Other athletic spaces, such as a team room, physical training facilities, and wrestling room, surround the gymnasium.
