Located in near southwest neighborhood of Dallas, Texas Hector P. Garcia Middle School was designed to connect students to the community and the larger city beyond its walls.
Completed in 2007, this new school is one of 68 middle schools in the city and serves 1,200 students in grades 6 - 8. A running track, softball fields, outdoor basketball courts, and soccer fields serve the neighborhood as well as the students. While the school's gym, library, and auditorium are accessible to community residents in the evenings.
Built across two city blocks, on land that once held used car lots and auto repair shops, the 175,000 square foot school building doesn't look like a typical middle school.
Architects Perkins + Will, based in Dallas designed the building to sit high up on the site and angle toward the view of the downtown skyline. Most all of the classrooms run along the north edge of the building - toward the city - giving each student a view beyond their neighborhood.