A New Horizon, Chapter 3: Master Planning

A New Horizon, Chapter 3: Master Planning

A new vision for learning has animated a new vision for NOCCA’s learning environment and facilities.

The current construction of the classroom addition for Media Arts, Musical Theatre, and Theatre Design – scheduled to open  this October – completes the build-out of NOCCA’s present campus.  With the charge to help NOCCA become one of the top five high school arts conservatories in the world, Eskew+Dumez+Ripple began a Campus Master Plan in April with planning horizons for both the near and long term.

Expansion at NOCCA flows from our passion for highly engaged learning and an economic and culturally thriving society. NOCCA’s existing footprint totals 131,000 square feet of space.  The draft master plan calls for an eventual expansion to over 500,000 square feet to accommodate:

  • NOCCA Conservatory – performance spaces, professional training studios and classrooms for current arts disciplines; kitchens and classrooms for Culinary Arts; studios for new arts disciplines yet unknown; and academic labs;
  • NOCCA Forum – student dining, health facilities, retail cafe and gallery;
  • Residential Hall – serving statewide, national and international students;
  • Visiting Artists Quarters – for visiting arts and academic master artists;
  • Green space and Culinary Arts gardens;
  • Plessy Memorial Park;
  • and on-site parking.

Through hours of thought and execution in paint, ink and thread, the young artists on the cover have displayed their exuberance and capability resulting from NOCCA’s Creative DNA.  It is now part of their DNA and how they will approach goals throughout their lives.  Expanding such learning and NOCCA’s environment will enrich students’ life work, and, we believe,  our city and state.