Malibu High School | KoningEizenberg Architecture and NAC Architecture

The reshaping of education through inquiry-based learning necessitates rethinking the spatial and experiential framework of schools. This groundbreaking public (state) high school, located in Malibu, is designed to be student-centered and facilitate the interdisciplinary collaboration needed for Project-Based Learning by blending learning and social life. Located between an existing middle school and an environmentally sensitive habitat, the net-zero energy facility for 500+ students makes landscape and climate integral to campus life while addressing a high-fire-hazard setting. 

The building’s envelope layers planes and shading devices to expand on the hillside’s natural texture. Fire-resilient concrete shear walls, naturally weathering perforated copper panels, and corrugated cement board siding camouflage volume and form while also reinforcing indoor-outdoor continuity. The photovoltaic array above generates energy while contributing to shade and shadow that support outdoor classrooms. Integrated energy, water, and wildfire-conscious strategies–along with habitat restoration–strengthen local ecosystems to establish an integrated living/learning laboratory.