Homestead High School’s Innovation Hub is a place for collaboration

Homestead High School kicked off the new school year recently with the grand opening of its 25,000-square-foot Innovation Hub, which provides central and collaborative spaces for programs including visual arts, business, computer science, robotics and shop.

The Innovation Hub replaces an underutilized shop building. The new has classroom, lab and shop spaces organized around a flexible hub, providing collaboration and presentation spaces for students and faculty.

“The Innovation Hub gives us the opportunity to better serve our students with a progressive and functional space spanning multiple disciplines,” said Polly Bove, superintendent of the Fremont Union High School District. “I know our students and staff have only begun to scratch the surface of what is possible within this building, and we look forward to the creativity and collaboration that will occur here.”

The Innovation Hub creates a new point of entry to the campus and athletic fields along Homestead Road. The new building is connected to the rest of the campus through a plaza used for outdoor learning, studying and socializing.

The new facility was designed by Quattrocchi Kwok Architects and built by Swinerton. Blach Construction serves as the construction manager for the district’s school facilities improvement program. The project team utilized energy-efficient building systems and sustainable materials in construction.

“We wanted to be sure to design a space that could meet and adapt to the needs of many different programs now and in the future,” said principal architect Aaron Jobson. “We have enjoyed working on several projects at Homestead High School over the years, including a new cafeteria, science building and quad, and seeing the campus’ transformation.”

Homestead broke ground this summer on a new guidance and student services building, also designed by Quattrocchi Kwok. The 9,500-square-foot building is expected to complete next fall and will provide improved administration offices, staff rooms, counseling offices and a College and Career Center.