G. W. Harby Junior High School
Alvin, Texas | February 10, 2023
Introduction
The Alvin Independent School District has become a premier education choice for families in the Houston area. With more than 4.5 percent annual growth, voters approved a $480 million bond program to renovate aging schools and construct new facilities. Through the bond program, the district would completely renovate Grace Ward Harby Junior High School.
The Story
G.W Harby was an aging school initially constructed in 1980. The plan was to completely gut the building’s interior, leaving only the slab and tilt walls, and then rebuild the facility. Work on the renovation project, which cost $39.84 million, began in 2021 and divided into two phases. The students relocated to other schools during the construction.
In August 2023, after an extensive 24-month renovation, the Darby Junior High Hawks were welcomed to their new state-of-the-art campus. With a capacity of 1,000 students, the fully renovated facility spans more than 187,000 square feet. Wall surfacing specifications required solutions that complemented the new school’s branding and would also be highly durable and easy to maintain.
The design team chose the Crossville Argent porcelain tile collection in a stunning combination of colorways for the wall surfacing throughout the new school. Thanks to the tile collection’s diverse color palette in durable porcelain with multiple size options, this tile met the design staff’s and the district’s needs and desires.
Aesthetically, it was also important to carry on the legacy of the original Kelly Green school color scheme. Choosing porcelain tiles from the Argent tile collection in the green Hollywood and Vine and Emerald City hues, the design team installed the 12″ x 24″ tiles vertically. The designers added a 12″ x 12″ porcelain tile from the Argent collection in the Winter Garden colorway above and below the green Argent tiles to provide a neutral balance.
“We chose the Crossville Argent porcelain tile collection because of the large color palette and economic value. The floor tiles provide a quality, modern aesthetic while allowing GPD Group to be responsible stewards for the Alvin ISD community,” explained Jim McSherry with GPD Architects.
Conclusion
With easy maintenance and cleanability for the long term, the Crossville Argent porcelain tile collection brought a colorful, modern touch to the walls in the busy spaces of this updated junior high school.
