The Kennedy Krieger High School Career and Technology Center, Baltimore, is designed for adolescents with developmental disabilities. The former children's hospital, a 1925 building, has been converted into a facility where students can prepare for careers in fields such as information technology, tourism, construction and manufacturing. Through a work-based program, students learn about all aspects of an industry rather than one specific job.
The renovation added 11 classrooms, a cafeteria, and a business center where students interested in retail and hospitality can learn skills they'll need when entering the workforce. The business center includes a school store, boutique and credit union. The career and technology center features a media center and a computer lab created from a pair of former operating rooms. A surgical observation gallery has become an instructor's office overlooking the computer lab.
“The complete renovation of the school has been an ongoing project since the school opened,” says Gabrielle Miller, director of educational projects. “This new facility will enable us to expand the work-based learning and to better serve the students.”
Hord Coplan Macht (Baltimore) is the architect.
