Key Data

Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) is an innovative new charter high school that represents the first of four demonstration schools intended to serve as models for future Colorado public schools. DSST, which enrolls 40 percent low-income students and 45 percent female students, will prepare graduates for the 21st century by focusing on science, math, and engineering. It is the first school in Colorado with a mandatory twelfth-grade internship program and guaranteed admission to the University of Colorado’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Located on the site of Denver’s former airport, DSST is part of the overall Stapleton Master Plan and was designed with the surrounding neighborhood in mind. It represents the New Urbanism planning concepts that are embodied within the master plan. Additionally, the scale and character of the school is consistent with Stapleton’s residential, retail, and mixed-use developments adjacent to the project site. DSST’s partnership with the community provides unique opportunities for internships and work-study programs.

A series of collaborative work sessions was completed to determine the building program for DSST. The planning team examined the success of High Tech High in San Diego and built an educational program that captures the spirit of an innovative demonstration school. The planning team tested the program and design concepts with an advisory committee, which included secondary and post-secondary educators, women who are leaders in the field of engineering, students, and regional leaders of education reform.

Sustainability was a major design influence. Located on a brownfield site, the school is oriented on an east-west building axis. This orientation allows the school to limit solar exposure, control daylight, and take advantage of southeasterly breezes in courtyard spaces. Working with the bus transit system, the school is able to reduce its parking demand and limit the paving onsite. To ensure maximum energy efficiency, building systems were designed in association with Colorado’s Office of Energy Management and Conservation.

Designed to accommodate a personalized, project-based curriculum, DSST is an entirely wireless environment. Each student maintains a digital portfolio, including a personal Web page that is accessible to the entire school community, colleges, and potential employers. Classroom clusters are centered on an open studio space, while project rooms adjacent to each studio allow students to work on their project work assignments. The commons functions as a student/faculty lounge, all-school gathering place, and an area for presenting and exhibiting student work.