Our firm doesn’t work on education architecture projects for the awards, but you have to admit – earning a little hardware doesn’t hurt.
On Sept. 29, Bray was recognized by the Daily Reporter for our role in five of its Top Projects of 2020. That means Bray had a hand in nearly one in ten of the projects they honored this year from across Wisconsin.
Our award-winning work included a school that anchors and enhances a neighborhood, a beautiful stadium that will eventually be home turf for two high schools, and a new school that’s the largest net-zero verified education building in the United States.
By working closely with our clients, we believe every project we do is a winner – but here are the handful that got the nod from the Daily Reporter:
Bank of Sun Prairie Stadium at Ashley Field
Sun Prairie, WI
Sun Prairie’s fast growth has translated into plans for Bray to help create a new, second high school, but the community decided the two schools could share one beautifully renovated stadium. Beyond hosting high school activities, the 4,000-seat facility also opens up possibilities for broader community use. Upgraded parking, restrooms, and concession stands make the stadium more user-friendly, and a dramatic new entrance that can be lit with team colors turns entering the stadium into a memorable experience.
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School
Milwaukee, WI
Cristo Rey’s mission seeks to care for the three parts of a person: mind, body, and spirit. Its new home in Milwaukee’s Clarke Square neighborhood gives space and attention to each of those elements, while also creating flexibility for collaborative learning. Each classroom includes a lounge area and access to a learning alcove right outside, and a large, open learning-stairs area gives students a place to recharge their technology and themselves.
Evansville Community School District
Evansville, WI
The final piece of a 20-year master plan to ready the Evansville School District for decades to come, the brand-new JC McKenna Middle School brought this major undertaking full circle back to the community. City street signs and abstracted maps connect students inside the building every day to the City of Evansville, even as they’re exploring the worlds of science, sports, and art. From the multi-level commons to smaller collaboration areas, this school is built to adapt – and to last.
Forest Edge Elementary School
Fitchburg, WI
When the Oregon School District thinks of sustainability, they think of building schools that will be durable enough to last, adaptable for new ways of learning, and environmentally responsible. Working closely with the community and its partners, Bray delivered a groundbreaking building that’s truly one of a kind. Forest Edge Elementary is the largest net-zero verified education building in the United States, as well as the first net-zero verified elementary school in the Midwest/Great Plains region. More than 1,700 solar panels and 90 geothermal wells combine with innovative design to ensure that the school consumes less energy than it produces on site.
School District of Horicon
Horicon, WI
Throughout our relationship, the Horicon School District told Bray that they wanted to incorporate the city’s unique natural environment into their new elementary school addition. The area’s beautiful wetlands, woodlands, lakes and rivers, and drumlins inspired an “ecosystem” concept for each grade level, and elements of the building from graphics to the entryway tie in that sense of place. We also incorporated a wide range of needed renovations throughout the middle and high school sections of the building.
As a firm that’s specialized in education architecture for decades, we’re proud to share these awards with all of our business partners and, most importantly, with the communities that welcomed us into their hometowns and trusted us to make their visions into reality.
