The reimagined Grand Junction High School offers students new career and technical education opportunities through flexible and transparent learning environments.
(GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado – August 21, 2024) ― Mesa County Valley School District 51 opens the doors to Grand Junction High School, designed by DLR Group. The new school offers students a variety of career-based learning opportunities, providing future-ready career and technical education. An emphasis is also placed on the arts and reflected in the 1,450-seat auditorium, which is the largest performing arts venue between Denver and Salt Lake City.
GJHS is 265,000 SF and serves 1,800 students. The three-story design sits on the same footprint as the original high school, which was built in 1956. DLR Group collaborated with the district to tailor the school’s design to specific career and technical education tracks. In partnership with Colorado Mesa University, students at GJHS are immersed in education pathways in health sciences and human services; business and entrepreneurship; engineering, technology, and natural resources; and arts and humanities.
“Our design fosters connectivity of all users to support GJHS’ shift to an academy model,” DLR Group Principal and K-12 Education Leader Greg Cromer, AIA, ALEP, says. “The efficiency and flexibility of the building allows for multiple learning modalities and creates a safe environment for learners and educators.”
GJHS is one of four comprehensive high schools in Mesa County Valley School District 51. The new school supports the district’s mission to provide facilities that align with the instructional practices of inspiring engaged learners. D51 is the largest school district on the Western Slope of Colorado with 20,000 students, 3,500 employees, and 46 schools and programs.
About DLR Group
DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse. Our promise is to elevate the human experience through design. This promise inspires sustainable design for a diverse group of public and private sector clients; local communities; and our planet.
DLR Group is 100% employee-owned and fully supports the initiatives and goals of the 2030 Challenge, and is an initial signatory to the China Accord and the AIA 2030 Commitment.
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