Solar Preparatory School For Girls

BWA Architects worked with the Dallas Independent School District on planning, design, documentation, and construction administration of the Solar Preparatory School for Girls at John B. Bonham. This STEAM Academy serves grades K–8 and includes new PBL/Art Maker-Spaces, Robotics and Science Labs, and Music Room.

The project includes 45,752 SF of addition to the existing 1923 building, along with 3,240 SF of renovations. It features learning stairs for informal and group learning, sliding-glass doors and corridor windows creating “Learning on Display,” and labs that open into the atrium, providing a collaborative learning environment. The outdoor gardens and learning stairs offer students out-of-the-box education.

This school is a tremendous illustration of blending traditional teaching models with innovative exploratory learning spaces. Design challenges included keeping the charm and integrity of the existing building, while introducing modern concepts in the new addition. The intentionally placed windows and materials used provide natural light throughout the two-story building, which includes a tornado shelter invisibly incorporated into the cafeteria, stage, and restroom spaces with overhead rolling doors that secure the building in extreme weather conditions.

This project has been honored with several recognitions for its thoughtful design and impact on education. The Solar Preparatory School for Girls received the 2019 TASA/TASB Caudill Award, the highest distinction in education design in Texas, receiving Stars of Distinction in all six categories—design, value, sustainability, planning, community, and school transformation. It was also recognized with the CMAA North Texas 2019 Project Achievement Award and featured in the October 2019 issue of Learning by Design magazine. These acknowledgments reflect the collaborative effort that went into blending historic preservation with modern learning spaces, creating an environment that supports both tradition and innovation.