Desert Christian Schools in Tucson, Arizona, is an independent, inter-denominational Christian covenant school partnering with parents who desire to see their children raised “…in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4).
Desert Christian was founded in 1986 on Tucson’s eastside as a high school and has since grown to include a second campus for Preschool to 8th grade.
Today, DCS represents more than 60 area churches as Tucson’s only independent, comprehensive Preschool to 12th-grade Christian school.
DCS is governed by a parent-elected Board of Trustees, staffed by licensed, qualified faculty and is fully accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
SDG Architecture provided the master planning for this school system, including two campuses: an existing high school campus and a new pre-kindergarten through eighth grade campus.
The high school requires a new addition for administration, entry, music and locker rooms.
One present issue is the lack of a visual and logical entry point for the campus.
The new two-story addition will address this with a tectonic shift of the exterior stucco wall with colored indentations and beamed colonnade that expresses entry into the campus.
To soften the expanse of exterior wall, a perforated metal screen cascades up to the roof and becomes the screening for the new mechanical units.
Other recent campus projects include remodeling the gymnasium, new food service and snack bar, and master planning future building projects.
SDG Architecture LLC has been serving schools, churches and healthcare institutions for over 15 years, www.sdgarchitecturellc.com. Their wish is for every aspect of the building process, from initial design to final occupancy, to be a positive experience for everyone involved and in a God honoring fashion: Soli Deo Gloria.
