Hendersonville High School, chartered in 1901, has served as an anchor and a point of pride in the Hendersonville community for well over a century. When the time came to re-imagine the school’s existing facilities for a new chapter of use, the community was passionate about celebrating and preserving as much of the school’s history as possible – including the 1926 Stillwell Building, a stately brick structure that conveys the gravitas appropriate to academic pursuits.

Engaging with the community began with listening. The design team worked closely with Henderson County Public Schools and stakeholders including students, faculty, staff, and community members to create a design solution which honors the past while looking towards the future.

This design solution remedied a less-than-ideal condition of the existing campus, which was composed of a series of disconnected buildings. The previous configuration required students to weather the elements in changing classes, and the porosity of the buildings created a security risk. The new building encloses the campus by connecting the two buildings that were deemed appropriate to save, creating a safer and more interconnected community.

The resulting facilities include 175,000 SF of construction – 90,000 SF of new construction and 85,000 SF of renovation. The new and modernized campus welcomes students, faculty, and the community with a design which will carry the school through the 21st century and beyond.