Today the St. Mark's School of Texas dedicated their expanded and renovated STEM block, which includes the new 50,000-square-foot Winn Science Center and the renovated 25,000-square-foot McDermott-Green Science Building. The Winn Science Center, carrying, forward the campus's palette established by architect Charles Tapley in the 1960s with St. Joe's brick and copper roofs, provides a new planetarium; a research greenhouse; a 250-seat lecture hall; biology, chemistry, robotics, and earth science labs; classrooms; and a large central atrium that facilitates student collaboration and relaxation. The new building opens to a south-facing teaching garden dedicated to the flora and fauna of Texas, and completes a quadrangle with the existing Green Library and Lower School, extending the pattern of small courtyard gardens characteristic of the St. Mark's campus. The renovated McDermott-Green Hall provides additional high-tech classroom and lab space, a conference room, study areas, and faculty offices. The two buildings are joined by a two-story glass connector which features seating for study and collaboration.
RAMSA Partners Robert A.M. Stern, Graham S. Wyatt, and Kevin M. Smith led the design effort. GFF served as associate architect. The project follows best practices for sustainable design to target LEED Silver certification.
