Career and Technical Education School

Fayette County Public School

The future Fayette County Public Schools Career and Technical Education (CTE) facility will be located at the former Lexington Herald-Leader site in downtown Lexington on Midland Avenue. FCPS and the EOP Design Team aimed to preserve the building’s architectural and functional history while creating a unique aesthetic for the CTE program. They expanded upon the existing transparency along Midland Avenue, enabling the public to glimpse the energy and activities of the CTE programs where they once saw the Herald-Leader’s presses.

EOP introduced a more intimate pedestrian connection along Midland Avenue with entry canopies and deep walkways. They also animated the existing Midland and Main Street facades by expanding the floor plates and using glass to highlight the CTE functions. To incorporate the building’s history, the design team explored the origins and purpose of newspapers, learning about the acta diurna, a Roman daily notice displayed in the town square.

This historical concept inspired a 25’ x 15’ CNC-carved solid surface wall at the school’s entrance, featuring illustrations of each program offered at the facility. The design team also incorporated stippling, a technique used in newspaper graphics, as circular perforations throughout the building to form larger motifs and patterns. As the Herald-Leader transitioned to the digital age, the team created a multimedia mural made of small, colored, pixel-like squares, representing Kentucky’s internet deserts and oases.

Aesthetically, the building is primarily industrial, with exposed metals, block, and technical machinery to honor its history and accommodate the CTE programs’ needs. Bright colors like fuchsia, orange, and lime green break up the long exterior façade and interior spaces, creating energy and emphasis. Wayfinding signage, constructed of lit acrylic, mimics newspaper covers, and the landscape design incorporates elements of pixelation and perforation.