Let’s take a look at a couple more schools, this time in San Antonio!
In San Antonio, I photographed Pre-K 4 SA‘s South early education center for Pfluger Architects and RDG, which features school and administration wings, pocked with outdoor play and learning. Landscape architecture was performed by Rialto Studio. It was a two-day shoot with plenty of moving parts to coordinate with. Love the green wall at the entry of the school wing.
Both entry lobbies are filled with a series of colorful decorative lantern lights, with wall coverings and tiles reflective of local vernacular.
Colorful murals fill the halls and decorativeacoustical panels in the form of trees hover above.
A primary focus is placed on interactivity and collaboration through the school’s interior and exterior.
The school wing carries transparency from interior building programming to outside play.
Some of these exteriors took quite a bit of staging to allow for natural play among the children among the composition.
The administration wing continued the same architectural language with a more minimal aesthetic, with less material chagnes than its’ education counterpart.
A half-hour north I had quite a different shoot, working again with Ford Powell & Carson on photographing a private college-prep 6-12 campus of TMI Episcopal We captured the renovation of Harthan (formerly Coates) Hall and the new Coates Science Hall. Other participants involved were Coral Studio, SpawGlass, Cleary Zimmermann, KFM Engineers, and Project Control.
Fortunately, we had a pleasant day to work with as students milled around from class to class. As evidenced by the uniforms, the school has a Corps of Cadets JROTC program. 
Offering continuous spaces provide opportunities from broad and acute interaction among students and staff was key in areas such as the library. It was active without being particularly noisy.
Harthan and Coates are unified in function and aesthetics by an exterior corridor. Openness and transparency were once again themes in this school as well, with large connected spaces and visibility from inside to out and back. 
This is a view of the Coates Science Hall addition. 
The renovation is quite a transformation and the modern metal and masonry skin is peppered plenty with generous windows offering glimpses into the classroom and larger functions such as the library. 
Both designs showcase two responses to different program needs, site situations,and purposes, both fostering transparency and open sight lines, encouraging interaction, filtering occupants inside and out while minimizing disruption, and showcasing learning.
