Michael Rachlin, AIA

Santa Maria High School Track & Field

Santa Maria Joint Union High School District
Santa Maria, California

Built in 1923, Santa Maria High School’s original buildings represent the rich architectural legacy of Allison & Allison, a prominent Los Angeles firm known for a number of notable projects designed throughout the 1920s and 30s, such as Royce Hall and other significant historic landmarks on the UCLA campus. The Romanesque and Classical Renaissance buildings at Santa Maria High School—including the library and historic Ethel Pope Auditorium—display the exuberant grandeur of the era and remain significant within the fabric of an evolving campus and community.

We were retained to begin a meticulous renovation of the high school library, updating its research and service capabilities, as well as performing a physical assessment of Pope Auditorium, construction of a new 35-meter swimming pool and a complete upgrade of the football stadium to include new bleachers, press box and a synthetic track and field. Presently, we are completing design and construction of a context-appropriate classroom building that honors the history of the school, while acknowledging the needs of the modern educational community.