Sidney Lanier High School Renovation Earns Prestigious Caudill Award

LPA's renovation transformed a windowless brick school into a bright, open campus rooted in the arts and culture of San Antonio's Westside.

SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LPA Design Studios' renovation of Sidney Lanier High School in San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) has been honored with the Caudill Award, the highest distinction in Texas school design. Presented by the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) and the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), the Caudill Award recognizes projects that exemplify excellence in planning and design of learning environments.

Lanier was the only project in the state to receive commendations in all six categories of excellence: design, value, wellness, community, planning and transformation. The transformation reimagined a windowless brick fortress built in the 1970s into a vibrant, daylit campus that celebrates the school's Mexican-American heritage and supports next-generation learning.

Large windows and strategic openings flood the formerly dark interiors with natural light. Murals representing the community's artistic culture were recreated in painstaking detail and displayed in the main hall. Flexible learning spaces, developed in collaboration with stakeholders, align with SAISD's learning goals, supporting a range of teaching styles and activities.

"This award is a testament to the deep collaboration between our team and the district," says Kate Mraw, LPA's Director of K-12. "Every project is an opportunity to create environments that inspire students and reflect the values of the communities we're privileged to work with."

The Caudill Award is the latest in a series of recognition for Lanier, including the national AIA Education Facility Design Award and the local Community Impact Award, Design – Adaptive Reuse Award and COTE Award from the AIA San Antonio chapter.

"This project is a reflection of the resilience and aspirations of the Westside community," said LPA Design Director Federico Cavazos. "The renovation preserved a place that has held incredible meaning for generations while literally shining new light on the community's history and future."

Two other LPA projects — General Marshall Middle School and Newman Smith High School — also earned Stars of Distinction in the annual Exhibit of School Architecture program. General Marshall Middle School in Austin ISD was recognized for its integration of new urbanist principles and flexible learning environments, while Newman Smith High School in Carrollton-Farmer's Branch was celebrated for exceptional planning and doing more with less.

The Caudill Award and Stars of Distinction will be formally presented during the 2025 TASA Midwinter Conference in Austin, January 26-29, where the projects will also be on display in the Exhibit of School Architecture.

About LPA
LPA is a multi-discipline firm focused on collaboration, inclusion and an integrated design process that connects building performance and design excellence. Founded in 1965, the firm's mission is to deliver timeless, sustainable designs that benefit the environment, generate lasting value, enrich the human experience, and ensure a better future. With six studios in California and Texas, LPA's team includes more than 500 in-house architects, master planners, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects and research analysts, working across a wide array of sectors. In 2025, LPA was honored with the national AIA Architecture Firm Award, the nation's highest honor for an architectural practice. For more information, visit lpadesignstudios.com.

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SOURCE LPA, Inc.