Martin Luther King High School

School District of Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA

O Z Collaborative worked with the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Career and Technical Education to create a state-of-the-art vocational center to train students for careers in modern, high-tech manufacturing industries. The $6 million-dollar project includes extensive renovations to the basement of Benjamin Franklin High School to provide shop and learning spaces for ten separate skill areas.

Given the technical and space requirements for each type of equipment, the design had to take into account logistics related to delivery, installation and efficient and safe operation of the teaching equipment.

Each shop area has its own instructional area, as well. With the variety of CTE offerings and the number of students coming to the center, the design team gave careful consideration to efficiently handling traffic flow throughout the suite. The design also allows for other potential uses, such as an adult education component and possible industry use in the evenings.

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