Saint Thomas Aquinas High School asked Dover, Kohl & Partners to assist in creating a vision for the future of the school’s campus. School leaders expressed a strong desire for a plan that could be phased to meet the immediate needs of the school while providing a firm direction for future growth.
Chael, Cooper & Associates assisted with the project, working with the design team and school leaders to establish a strong architectural identity and visual presence for all future buildings. The proposed plan is a symbol of Saint Thomas Aquinas High School’s commitment to both the families they serve and the community at large.
At the heart of the Master Plan is a new "Fine Arts Quad" comprised of a theater, a multi-purpose building, classroom buildings and administrative offices. The plan’s most public of the gathering spaces, an arched gateway on SW 28 Avenue, leads pedestrians and vehicles into a formalized entry plaza, which functions as a student drop-off point, an entrance to campus for visitors, and a meeting place for theatergoers. The classroom buildings beyond the plaza form three sides of a quadrangle, creating a more private open space for the students. In addition, a series of arcaded walkways connect
the new and existing buildings and provide shelter from the elements, while a bell tower at the western end of the plaza serves as an orientation point on the campus and is the terminus for entry from either SW 28 Avenue or Davie Boulevard. A series of small cottages for faculty and a small park along Davie Boulevard complete the plan.