Summit High School
Summit High School has long served as a central hub for students in this mountain community. As enrollment surged across the district’s elementary schools, the Summit County School District saw the need to expand and reimagine the high school campus. This wasn’t just about accommodating growth—it was about preparing students for the future with spaces that support innovation, wellness, and hands-on learning.
The result is a transformative addition and renovation project that adds more than 37,000 square feet to the campus, creating opportunities that reflect both the character of the region and the ambitions of its students.
Built for What's Next
In planning for the future, the district made an intentional choice to do more than build walls. They focused on enhancing the student experience. Together, we designed an expanded campus that welcomes more learners, supports new programming, and reflects the values of this active tight-knit community.
The project introduces a wide array of new facilities, starting with a versatile indoor turf field. This space provides year-round training for athletic teams, offering a much-needed alternative during Colorado’s harsh winters. Alongside it, students now have access to a new gymnasium, weight room, and upgraded vocational tech spaces.
Learning environments were equally prioritized. The expansion added 21 classrooms, including a STEM lab, a computer science room, and a flexible vocational workshop. A standout feature is the Bike Tech and Ski-Tune lab, where students gain hands-on skills maintaining equipment tied to the local economy. These spaces give students practical experience that can translate directly into seasonal and part-time employment—an invaluable bridge between education and real life.
Learning Happens Everywhere
The renovation also reimagined the commons and media center as social and academic anchors of the school. Today, the commons functions as a true gathering space from morning until evening. A fireplace, warm finishes, and a variety of seating options invite students to collaborate or focus individually. A new snack bar, staffed by culinary students, allows learners to practice real-world business skills in a space of their own.
Nearby, the media center connects seamlessly to the commons through a transparent garage door that opens the room to larger gatherings. Inside, students can access research tools or get tech help at the student-run IT desk, reinforcing a culture of peer-to-peer learning and support.
Improvements behind the scenes are equally important. Modernized mechanical, electrical, and roofing systems ensure the building operates efficiently and sustainably. Updated site design and expanded parking address safety and accessibility concerns, making arrival and dismissal smoother for students, staff, and families.
A Campus That Reflects Its Community
At Summit High School, education is rooted in place. The surrounding mountain environment informs both the design and the programming of this project. Whether students are learning to tune skis, launching engineering projects in the STEM lab, or practicing inside the new field house, they are gaining skills and confidence that connect directly to the world outside the classroom.
This addition and renovation represent more than a physical transformation. It’s a meaningful investment in student success, one that provides flexibility, relevance, and inspiration. By creating a high school campus that mirrors the energy and character of the community it serves, Summit High School is better prepared to meet the future head-on—one student at a time.
Awards
- Outstanding Project Award, Learning By Design Magazine
Project contact
Patrick Johnson has facilitated a challenging group that needed much guidance along the way. He was able to gauge the needs of the group and balance that with the design priorities and budget.
Kerry Buhler, Superintendent Summit School District
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