New construction has started at Capitol Hill High School

https://youtu.be/FhviBjIXgos

CHHS Construction Update Month 2
https://youtu.be/o014jzKCoWg

It is great to see active development and investment into the local school system. We really need to make a concerted effort as a state to compete with the Texas educational system. They may have a large amount of leverage in the process due to number of students. The more important aspect we have to dive into as a state is the establishment of standards and expectations for young Oklahomans going through our school system. The state has WAY too many school districts and is very top heavy in administration costs. A little bit of effort to modernize and streamline the primary education in the state of Oklahoma would impact the state budget positively by millions of dollars. We waste an incredible amount of money in this state by having a very clunky and overly bureaucratic education system. Trimming the fat and focusing more on the issues that actually matter instead of dumb culture war issues that have no real impact to the quality of the community we live in. While we may want rural communities to have some high paying jobs, subsidizing those jobs at the cost to the community as a whole is not acceptable. If a town or village can not financially support resources like utilities, police or a fire station that small town or village may not be a viable entity going forward. As a society we should not subsidize lifestyles that are producing no net positive for the collective. If all a group does is take and take, and take, would you keep providing them with sustenance?

2022 Presentation Video on brand new Capitol Hill High School
https://youtu.be/0lPN3zZQYtc

I fully support getting these kids an upgraded school. It's a shame that the historic structure couldn't be updated to modern needs but I also realize how expensive that would be compared to starting over.

But I do have to say, I am not a fan of the new design. It looks like a mish-mash of add-ons with no cohesiveness to tie them together. it's a contemporary design that will absolutely not age well and will quickly date the building in a bad way. It feels like they wanted to make sure it checked a bunch of boxes for having this thing and that thing, and one of those. Well they did it, but it doesn't look good. The gym, while i really like the old historic dome, actually is a really good one. I like the touch of being able to see out to the football field. It's one of the good things. I wonder what a classroom is going to look like to compare. It's one thing to have a bunch of special features, but what's a daily classroom experience going to be like and how is it going to improve?

^^^
Thank you for saying that! I didn’t want to say it first, but that's not contemporary architecture; it’s just lazy, fill-in-the-blank design that’s popping up everywhere nowadays. When people see these buildings, they can’t even tell if it’s a hospital, office, or academic institution. Academic and government buildings should stick to classical architecture."

Why?


^^^
Thank you for saying that! I didn’t want to say it first, but that's not contemporary architecture; it’s just lazy, fill-in-the-blank design that’s popping up everywhere nowadays. When people see these buildings, they can’t even tell if it’s a hospital, office, or academic institution. Academic and government buildings should stick to classical architecture."

^^^
Thank you for saying that! I didn’t want to say it first, but that's not contemporary architecture; it’s just lazy, fill-in-the-blank design that’s popping up everywhere nowadays. When people see these buildings, they can’t even tell if it’s a hospital, office, or academic institution. Academic and government buildings should stick to classical architecture."

How would you define the classical architecture they need to stick to?

How would you define the classical architecture they need to stick to?
One room schoolhouse with outhouses and a horse barn. That is old timey and classic in Oklahoma.

one room schoolhouse with outhouses and a horse barn. That is old timey and classic in oklahoma.
smh

CHHS Construction Update Nov 16, 2024 Video
https://youtu.be/GFw3b1SEgDA

^ Awesome, thanks.

Since the new school will be built on land apart from the original, why not bring in a private company to redevelop the historic building into housing as has been done all over OKC?

The plans now are just to tear it down and have some sort of plaza. There is a housing shortage and the senior wellness center is just across the way. Why demolish the structure if the property isn't needed for the school?

smh

My point is that everyone doesn't agree with what "classical" school architecture is. IMHO, for most it is whatever they grew up with, or things that mimic old European construction.

We don't have to be stuck in the past. New buildings can accommodate way more advanced systems and new thoughts on logistical efficiency, etc.

There was a missed opportunity in that presentation to show the differences for the classrooms themselves. How will they be different? How will the new construction allow for those new technologies to be included in a way that they are not today? In general, a classroom is a classroom....a rectangle with seats. So they did miss a chance to show how/why the new construction changes that. Security/integrated technology/etc.

My complaint on the design is that it's not contiguous like Bell Isle. That new building has a more "flow" feeling where things look like they "go" together. Just differences in desire in the aesthetic.

My point is that everyone doesn't agree with what "classical" school architecture is. IMHO, for most it is whatever they grew up with, or things that mimic old European construction.

We don't have to be stuck in the past. New buildings can accommodate way more advanced systems and new thoughts on logistical efficiency, etc.

Modern vs. classical architecture is largely a matter of personal taste, making it difficult to explain why one might prefer one over the other. Classical architecture adheres to a stricter set of rules and proportions, while modern architecture often champions free-form design. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this freedom, but it can sometimes result in designs that feel uninspired or lazy, leading to buildings that don’t age well.

I believe academic and government buildings, in particular, should stand the test of time and convey a sense of intellectual gravitas. The decline in classical architecture today isn’t primarily because modern styles better accommodate contemporary needs; rather, it’s because classical architecture is becoming a lost art. Fewer architects and builders are trained in the techniques and principles required to create these structures.

That said, here are some examples of recently constructed academic buildings designed in the classical style. They prove that it’s still possible to marry timeless aesthetics with functionality.
https://www.dmsas.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1406_042-872x1200.jpg
https://www.dmsas.com/project/rothschild-college/
https://www.dmsas.com/project/e-bronson-ingram-college/
https://www.dmsas.com/project/nicholas-s-zeppos-college/
https://www.dmsas.com/project/residential-college-c/

Modern vs. classical architecture is largely a matter of personal taste, making it difficult to explain why one might prefer one over the other. Classical architecture adheres to a stricter set of rules and proportions, while modern architecture often champions free-form design. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this freedom, but it can sometimes result in designs that feel uninspired or lazy, leading to buildings that don’t age well.

I believe academic and government buildings, in particular, should stand the test of time and convey a sense of intellectual gravitas. The decline in classical architecture today isn’t primarily because modern styles better accommodate contemporary needs; rather, it’s because classical architecture is becoming a lost art. Fewer architects and builders are trained in the techniques and principles required to create these structures.

That said, here are some examples of recently constructed academic buildings designed in the classical style. They prove that it’s still possible to marry timeless aesthetics with functionality.
https://www.dmsas.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1406_042-872x1200.jpg
https://www.dmsas.com/project/rothschild-college/
https://www.dmsas.com/project/e-bronson-ingram-college/
https://www.dmsas.com/project/nicholas-s-zeppos-college/
https://www.dmsas.com/project/residential-college-c/

That's not a bad look of course, very collegiate which is of course the sticking point. It's worth noting that the two examples on https://www.dmsas.com/projects/educational/ that aren't a college building look nothing like any of the others.

Those examples from dmas also show that the classical designs don't have to be so ornate that they are expensive either. I would echo what was said on the last two posts about the more timeless age of this style.

As David pointed out, the styles of the structures on that page don't all have to be the same. You can really go all out, or you can tone it down a bit. Capital Hill went full on "contemporary", which will unfortunately be the opposite of timeless and end up dating it very quickly.

But looks again, does anyone have any insight into the building classes themselves? I keep asking what makes the new building so special. Is it just new windows/insulation/etc? I would really like to hear what makes the classrooms special compared to the old building. Anyone can build a new gym or other extra buildings and enhance the campus. But we're missing the "why" other than maintenance costs. If that's it, then ok. But we got a more involved story when the Maps projects rebuild so many of the other schools around town.

My CHHS Construction Update Video Dec 2024
https://youtu.be/5uQyFdCRwYg

My CHHS Construction Update Video Dec 2024
https://youtu.be/5uQyFdCRwYg

I saw a really tall crane from a couple or few miles away a couple days ago. I was wondering what it was, but forgot to go check it out. This explains it!

My CHHS Construction update Video Jan 2025
https://youtu.be/i0p32PwMtnk

CHHS 100 year old sidewalks
https://youtu.be/CPF8McvuGfM