Guilford County Schools’ new Professional and Community Education Center is a three-story, 70,000-square-foot hub for learning and collaboration. The facility includes classrooms, offices, maker spaces, and a large lecture hall. A 2,000-square-foot, two-story lobby with a monumental stair connects the spaces and welcomes visitors. A dramatic 6,000-square-foot, two-story assembly room provides a flexible space for gatherings and events.
The project targets LEED Silver certification and emphasizes energy efficiency through solar panels and sustainable design strategies.
Stewart provided structural engineering services for the building and site. The team designed the primary structure, large retaining walls for the sloped site, and supplemental steel for a prefabricated loading dock canopy. Stewart also engineered the two-story glass lobby with a cantilevered balcony and the expansive assembly room with a cantilevered second floor.
The design-build delivery required close coordination with the architect and contractor to plan the sequencing of the deep retaining walls and complex framing. The site’s steep grade and long spans challenged the team to innovate and refine each solution.
The Structural Engineers Association of North Carolina recognized the Center for excellence in structural engineering, celebrating its design innovation and community impact.