Agnew K-12 Campus

Schools reclaim historic site for student and community benefit

The new Agnew campus combines grades pre-K through 12 on a 55-acre historic site in San Jose, California, creating adjacent elementary, middle and high schools. Each building in the complex features collaborative learning areas that support the educational and social needs of students at every age. Blended amenities and outdoor areas enable students to share facilities and connect with other age groups, encouraging mentorship. Overall, the campus design serves next-generation students as they progress from one school to the next through multimodal learning, shared amenities and adaptable high technology.

The schools vary in size: The elementary school designed for 600 students is 56,710 square feet; the 1,000-student middle school totals 103,614 square feet; and the high school for 1,600 students measures 192,230 square feet.

Designed from the inside out, the schools offer flexible, relevant and influential indoor learning environments for each group. Outside learning and play spaces flow together and extend interior learning areas through indoor-outdoor connections. Natural inspiration is found in the elementary school quadrangle landscaping that represents low lying grasslands, the middle school quad with its growing woodlands, and the high school quad’s mature forest.

Built on the former site of Agnews Developmental Center, a mental hospital closed in the early 2000s, the new campus assumes a civic presence benefitting the community in this fast-growing part of Silicon Valley. The architecture and landscaping maintain the quality of this location as a sustainable, valued city asset.