Meeting helps SOC stakeholders reimagine school campus

South Oak Cliff High School parents, teachers and community members are coming together this week with a team of architects and designers to help reimagine the physical space of the campus.

Dallas ISD has committed up to $40 million* of 2015 bond revenue for facility improvements at South Oak Cliff High School (SOC). Ashley Bryan, Dallas ISD Director of Planning and Special Projects, said this week’s design charrette is an important first step in generating ideas for the look and feel of learning spaces that align to SOC’s academic vision.

“When it comes to reimagining a school facility, a design charrette can, in just a few days, kick-start what would usually take months,” Bryan said.

The American Architectural Foundation is providing pro bono support to transform ideas from the SOC stakeholders into architectural drawings and conceptual designs. The SOC design team will then present their proposal at the conclusion of the design charrette on Friday.

Stakeholder teams from Adamson High School, Pinkston High School and Rosemont Elementary School are also participating in this week’s design charrette.

The design charrette follows a three-part visioning workshop at SOC that provided an opportunity for students, staff, parents and community members to co-develop a path forward for the future of the campus.

The input from SOC stakeholders will inform the final design proposal for the school. After the design is complete, Dallas ISD will invite bids from architects to make the improvements a reality.

*The up to $40 million will come from bond revenue previously earmarked for improvements to District 5, which is where SOC is located.