RossTarrant Architects was engaged by Fayette County Public School to design the newly renovated, state-of-the-art educational environment for the STEAM/Success Academies in Lexington, Kentucky.

This building, which was originally built in 2007 for Imani Baptist Church, was completely renovated for Fayette County Public School’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Academy. The building also houses the District’s Success Academy—a program that provides an alternative for at-risk youth who are in danger of failing to graduate. These unique programs serve students throughout the state’s second-largest school district while engaging the local community through shared use of resources like athletics facilities, maker spaces and a recording studio.

A new second floor was added, providing space for additional classrooms. A central, double-height multipurpose space serves as the heart of the school, providing ample space for individual and group study, inter-classroom collaboration and social interaction. The new design took advantage of the building’s existing large gymnasium, running track, locker rooms, and exercise space. All other interior spaces were completely reconfigured and renovated to create a technology-rich, collaborative learning environment.

This cutting-edge building also contains a highly efficient geothermal HVAC system with an exceptional thermal envelope to minimize heat transfer. These features—in addition to energy efficient lighting and the ample use of solar light tubes—are anticipated to drastically improve the energy performance of the building.

Architect: RossTarrant Architects
Photography: Phebus Photography