Taylor ISD Legacy Early High College High School

Brief

Overview

Taylor Legacy Early College High School has shared a campus with the East Williamson County Higher Education Center in Taylor for many years, with the goal of eventually having their own facilities. With their 2015 Bond program, the citizens of Taylor ISD approved the building of a facility to house the Legacy Early College High School. The students of Legacy Early college High School go beyond taking advance placement or dual enrollment classes. Their entire high school career is spent dual enrolled in high school and college level courses so that upon graduation they receive not only a high school diploma, but also an associate’s degree, putting a university degree within their reach in only a couple more years.

Sitting at the prominent and visible north end of the historic Taylor, Texas downtown district and across Fifth Street from Heritage Park, we felt a responsibility to respect the values and details of the downtown area while providing a modern facility for such an inspirational and forward looking school. We spent weeks walking downtown, studying the colors, finish materials, and especially the distinct awnings found lining the streets. We took these details into consideration, modernizing their construction and uses, in the design of the exterior of the campus.

At the interior, the school needed administrative offices, nine multipurpose classrooms, a science lab and a cafeteria area. Because the needs of an early college campus are unique, with students having free periods and the need to get gather to work on group projects, we decided to use the cafeteria space as a campus commons, an area that can be used for general assemblies, lectures, studying and break-out groups, to bring more of a college level maturity and freedom to the campus.

This free-form use spills out from the campus commons into the adjoining courtyard, which ties the Legacy facility to the existing Williamson County Higher Education Center. The courtyard preserves an old live oak, providing shade and a comfortable outdoor area for students to study, eat and socialize.