Grand Oaks High School

Introduction

Grand Oaks High School is a new addition to the Spring, Texas community. Located in one of the fastest growing school districts in the heart of one of the most rapidly increasing communities in the country, this new Houston-area high school was a necessity to meet the increasing demand for adequate educational facilities for families in the region. In 2015, voters within the Conroe Independent School District approved a $487 million bond, part of which would cover the construction of Grand Oaks High School at an estimated cost of $154 million.

The  Story

It’s a unique opportunity anytime an architectural and design team can undertake a school project that’s new construction. Rather than working around existing structures and materials, the teams behind the design of Grand Oaks started with a blank slate—ideal for creating a truly modern high school to accommodate a 3,000-student population. In addition to the district’s planning and construction department, PBK Architects and Durotech Inc. General Contractors worked to finalize the campus in order to greet students for the 2018 school year. 

The design phase spanned several months. The specifiers with PBK focused on the selection of materials that would make the grade in terms of durability and endurance and ease of maintenance, as well as lasting style. That’s why they turned to Crossville for the tile required for the project. The school district was easily sold on Crossville’s Shades Collection as a great alternative for Grand Oaks’ busy corridors. The collection offers a modern take on a neutral color palette and provides the look and strength that made the grade for Grand Oaks. 

The new school measures in at more than 535,000 square feet throughout its three stories on over 80 acres of land. This large high school project required a foundational tile that would provide maximum design flexibility. With the Shades Collection, the design team had access to a range of options to envision unique patterns and designs.

Due to the large scope of the project, tile installation took several months. The installers incorporated multiple tile patterns in the large corridors creating subtle interest in high traffic areas. Thinking of constant foot traffic and Texas-size corridors, the hallway throughout the main building is referred to as “Main Street”; there’s no doubt the tiles that cover this very active path will endure beautifully. 

To add a unique shimmer of color to interior walls, the design team chose Crossville Porcelain Tile Panels by Laminam in the Oxide Collection in the Grigio hue. This selection offers a subtle, metallic effect interpreted in a stylish, industrial look that brightens the overall main corridor spaces. The powerful porcelain body of these panels ensures the surfaces will perform with strength for the long term.

Another concern with a large-scale project of this caliber is product availability. From the detailed planning of the design team working closely with distributor Crossville Studios in Houston, the team gave the tile delivery and product reliability high marks throughout the installation.