When Lothan Van Hook DeStefano Architecture was tasked with building a 16,000-square-foot arts and athletics building for Wolcott College Prep, the firm was restricted by the tight one-acre site and modest budget. The result is a study in making the most of a simple material: the facility is constructed almost entirely of precast concrete that has been either polished, stained, or sealed with an anti-graffiti coating. The material nods to the industrial past of the West Town neighborhood, but refined details signal a forward-looking approach. Spaces include studios for arts and music, and a large gym. The main corridor has an innovative light installation that brings the work of artist Dan Flavin to mind.
