Walhalla High School, School District of Oconee County

After performing several site studies, the project team selected a 92-acre site with spectacular views of the mountains for the new 260,000 SF high school in Walhalla, SC. The high school, designed for 1,300 students, sits at the highest end of the site with student parking effectively placed between the school and the football stadium. The project includes safe, comfortable, and efficient spaces designed to take advantage of the site’s natural beauty and mountain views. Our material color pallet included earth tones, stone accent walls and columns, board and batten siding, exposed steel tube structural members to resemble heavy timber wood, and earth tone colored brick to reflect materials used in the Foothills area.

The school entrance features a two-story, gable roofed structure with free standing rock faced columns and a circular two-level storefront wall in the lobby. Within the lobby, there is more exposed rock veneer and wood. Two pairs of doors serve as a security feature, allowing the receptionist to control the first and/or second set of doors. Locked doors leading from the lobby to the school have controlled access. The media center is a spacious, rounded room with sloped ceilings finished with beams, creating a warm and inviting space second-to-none on campus. The numerous, large north-facing windows take advantage of surrounding mountain views. The classrooms extend from the school’s administrative office and front door and are surrounded by two courtyards. The hardscaped, partially covered interior courtyard are used as a student gathering space in the mornings and during lunch.

On site, there are also athletic buildings, a football stadium with a track, baseball, softball and soccer playing fields, tennis courts, and three full size practice fields. The spring sports venues and spectator areas share a parking area and a building with concessions, restrooms, upper level press box, athletic changing rooms, and a covered eating area.