Understanding what drives the need for change
International Leadership of Texas faced an exciting yet complex undertaking: creating a brand-new high school campus from the ground up in Grand Prairie that would embody their mission of preparing students for global leadership roles. The Arlington Grand Prairie High School represented more than just another educational facility—it needed to be a comprehensive learning environment that would serve over 100 staff members and hundreds of students while reinforcing the school's core values of servant leadership and multicultural communication.
The challenge extended beyond typical educational design considerations. ILTexas required a workspace transformation that balanced ambitious educational goals with practical fiscal responsibility. Every furniture selection needed to support both collaborative learning and staff efficiency, while meeting strict budget parameters that had been carefully established through the organization's operational experience. The spaces needed to be durable enough for high school energy, flexible enough for modern teaching methods, and sophisticated enough to prepare students for professional leadership roles in an international context.
How we brought the vision to life
Tangram's design partnership with ILTexas drew upon years of collaborative experience, allowing the team to implement proven furniture standards while adapting them for this unique ground-up campus. Rather than starting from scratch, the approach focused on refining and enhancing established guidelines that balanced economy, resilience, and contemporary aesthetics. The design team worked closely with ILTexas stakeholders to understand how each space would function within their educational philosophy, from flexible classrooms that support active learning to STEM labs equipped for specialized instruction.
The design strategy placed particular emphasis on creating purposeful spaces that would encourage leadership development and peer engagement. The Media Center on the second floor became a central focus—designed as a dynamic hub with soft seating, café-height tables, and modular pieces that could adapt to various student activities. Throughout the campus, furniture selections from trusted manufacturers like Steelcase, Kimball, and KI were chosen not just for their durability and cost-effectiveness, but for their ability to support ILTexas's vision of integrating informal collaboration zones within academic environments. Every space, from the welcoming main lobby to the high-traffic cafeteria, was furnished to reinforce the school's commitment to preparing students for exceptional leadership roles.
4 professionals brought this vision to life
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