Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard campus has been featured in i+s (interiors+sources), a national commercial interior design publication, highlighting the facility’s approach to sustainable and inclusive educational environments.
The article, published Tuesday by Chief Content Director Robert Nieminen, showcases the campus redesign by architecture firm Perkins Eastman.
The $190 million, 343,000-square-foot facility opened in May 2024 after two years of construction, replacing a 1950s-era building. The five-story satellite campus can accommodate up to 1,600 students — double its predecessor’s capacity — and serves as an adjunct to Alexandria City High School, which enrolls nearly 5,000 students.
Features highlighted in the publication include a multi-floor “Creative Commons” atrium designed to maximize natural light while maintaining energy efficiency, enhanced air circulation systems, and acoustic ceiling solutions.
The campus houses six career and technical education academies supporting interdisciplinary learning across arts, science, and technical programs. It also includes a Teen Wellness Center, Family Resource Center, and Early Childhood Center.
At the May 2024 ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mayor Justin Wilson called the building “a generational investment in our community.” Alexandria City Public Schools Chief Operating Officer Alicia Hart said the project was completed on time and on budget.
i+s, established in 1984, provides commercial and contract interior design services to the architecture and design community.
