MONTBELLO VIEWPOINTS - PUNTOS DE VISTA DE MONTBELLO
Design of New Montbello High School Coming Into Focus
also be designed to achieve net zero energy goals in the future. The project now moves into the design development phase. This includes everything from securing permits from a number of different agencies to finalizing plans for how and when each phase of construction will occur. Construction on portions of the site is expected to begin this summer and Montbello High School will officially open in Fall 2022 in the current building. Work will be planned to provide continued access to the school and minimize impacts on students and staff as much as possible.Y
By Andy Cohen, Principal, Clermont Eliot
Montbello high school
students, teachers, alumni, and parents spent the past year sharing their ideas and perspectives for the new Montbello High School. In 2021, nearly 1,300 community members provided input on the design of the new school through surveys, dialogue circles, one-on-one interviews, community meetings, and at community events. All this input was carefully reviewed by a Design Advisory Group made up of current and former Montbello educators, students, school administration and parents, as well as current high school students in Montbello. For the past four months, these dedicated community members worked with Denver Public Schools (DPS) and its selected architects and builders to create an initial design for the new Montbello High School. Inspired by the Montbello name itself, meaning “beautiful mountain,” the Design Advisory Group selected a design approach that reflects unity among a rich mosaic of culture and traditions. This theme is now being applied to design a Montbello High School campus that includes brand new spaces and renovated portions of the current building. The current design calls for the building’s auditorium, pool, and gyms to all be kept in their current loca-
Top photo: Montbello High School Site Plan Middle photo: Main Entry Bottom photo: Athletics Entry
tions but renovated to provide exciting upgrades. These would connect to an all-new commons, cafeteria, library, and classroom wings providing safe, modern learning environments with plenty of windows for natural light and inspiration. “We are thrilled with the care and thought the community has brought to this project,” said Jane Crisler of EUA, part of the architecture team of EUA and Eidos Architects selected to design the school. “By renovating portions of the current building and then blending it with new spaces designed for current and future learning, this building can provide an important link between past, present, and fu-
ture.” The combination of renovation and new construction also preserves spaces that are unique to the Montbello campus. The swimming pool, which the community worked hard to add to the school in the early 1990s, will remain the only pool at a DPS facility in the area. By renovating the school’s auditorium, the campus will also keep an important performance and event space. Throughout the design process, community leaders stressed the importance of designing a school that can thrive for decades to come. This includes creating flexible spaces that can be adapted as equipment and technology change over time. The building will
MUSE - Montbello Urban Spectrum Edition – January/February 2022
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Editor’s note: You can stay up to date on the latest news on Montbello High School by visvisiting MontbelloHS.dpsk12.org. MontbelloHS.dpsk12.org.
Ya está tomando forma el diseño de la nueva Escuela Preparatoria Montbello By Andy Cohen, Principal, Clermont Eliot
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os estudiantes de preparatoria, los maestros, exalumnos y padres de Montbello dedicaron el año pasado a compartir sus ideas y perspectivas para la nueva Escuela Preparatoria Montbello. En 2021, casi 1,300 miembros de la comunidad proporcionaron ideas acerca del diseño de la nueva escuela a través de encuestas, círculos de diálogo, entrevistas individuales, reuniones comunitarias y eventos en la comunidad. El Grupo asesor de diseño, integrado por educadores actuales y antiguos de Montbello, estudiantes, la administración de la escuela y los padres, así como los estudiantes actuales de pre-
