Adaptive Design Helps Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools Take Flight

Hands-on learning takes on a whole new meaning at Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools. With everything from welding stations to flight simulators, the center offers students an environment unlike any other.

In the spring of 2019, Vice President Brandi Ash was asked to meet with then-superintendent Bonnie Hopkins at the campus of the Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools (EFCTS). The meeting was held—as many are, early in the planning process—at an undeveloped plot of land. Where others would see curb cuts and grass, Superintendent Hopkins saw a possibility.

“She knew there was a need for an addition to the campus. They already had thriving pre-engineering and welding in place, but Bonnie knew that due to increased enrollment and demand for new programs like aviation, a new facility was going to be the best solution.”

– Brandi Ash

The state-of-the-art, highly-adaptable facility will serve a variety of EFCTS programs, including aviation, pre-engineering, welding and mechatronics and will allow the school to expand its curriculum, better serve its community, and accommodate even more high-tech, high-demand programs. SHP delivered a masterful design, including lab and instructional spaces dedicated to each program, a 200-person flex space that can be sectioned off for large or small group meetings, a hangar for three aeronautical vehicles, and much more. The site offers a modern and advanced educational experience for lifelong learners of any age group.

Our latest case study, Adaptive Design Helps Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools Take Flight, deconstructs our design process and outlines the incredible detail that went into the making of this one-of-a-kind facility.

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