Lakewood Ranch High School Uses Window Walls To Create Open Environment

BRADENTON, Florida-- February 1, 2001

At Lakewood Ranch High School, the extensive use of window walls in a campus centered around a large courtyard has helped to blend the school into its environment and create an open atmosphere that stimulates learning.

Located in eastern Manatee County, Lakewood Ranch High School is the newest school in the county, nestled in a country setting on a 100-acre site adjacent to local park facilities and neighboring family communities. The school includes an auditorium, band and orchestra rooms, spacious media center, gymnasium, one-and two-story academic buildings, and a lunchroom that can seat 650 students, all built around a secured courtyard. The school, which is in its second year of operation, currently is home to about 1,600 students.

One with its Environment

Designed by Schenkel & Shultz/Barger + Dean Architects, of Sarasota, Florida, the school was planned to create a unique learning environment built around the central courtyard. Here, students can move securely and easily between classes and gather informally in an open, friendly environment. To unify the campus and carry the openness of the courtyard to the interior of the surrounding structures, window walls were used extensively in the walls that face the central plaza.

To create the window walls, Steelcraft's architectural stick system components were specified. This approach allowed Steelcraft distributor Hollow Metal Specialists, Inc. of Sarasota, to assemble the frames to the project's specifications using the pre-engineered fabricated components.

Metal Frames & Doors Enhance Durability

Matching the style of the window walls are the many Steelcraft doors and frames used throughout the facility. Most of the doors are Steelcraft A Series, set in F-16 Series frames. More than just appearance, the metal doors and frames add durability and longevity in the active school environment.

General contractor and construction manager for the project was Centex Rooney, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Hollow Metal Specialties, Inc., founded in 1991, has grown to encompass a 16,000 sq.ft. facility in Sarasota, from which it provides doors, frames and hardware for commercial projects of all sizes in Florida and the Caribbean.