Temple City High School’s Masonry Excellence

Blending Tradition and Innovation

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS

Nestled in the West San Gabriel Valley, just 15 miles northeast of Los Angeles, Temple City High serves grades nine through twelve. Since its founding back in 1954, Temple City High School has been on a mission to continually raise the bar. It’s not just any high school. It’s a place that’s completely focused on its students, offering an academic experience that’s as unique as it is thorough, set in an intellectually stimulating environment. 

Owner: Temple City Unified School District

 Temple City, CA

Masonry contractor: Winegardner Masonry, Inc., Yucaipa, CA
Architect: LPA Design Studios, Irvine, CA Masonry producer/supplier: ORCO Block & Hardscape, Stanton, CA
General contractor: Angeles Contractor, Inc., City of Industry, CA Stories: 2

With those daunting requirements, Temple City needed additional classroom buildings that reflected the school’s longstanding small town feel in a modern and sophisticated setting. 

Constructed in 2016, the school’s new two-story, three-wing classroom buildings feature a high level of design and construction quality. Architect LPA Design Studios and masonry contractor Winegardner Masonry, Inc.’s use of concrete brick and CMUs provides both artistic flair and functional benefits to the complex. At a distance, the façade appears to be traditional brick, but the concrete block producer was able to provide small red concrete units to replicate traditional brick. The buildings are characterized by recessed horizontal brick bands, adding to their unique architectural identity. Additionally, burnished and split face CMU in a stack bond pattern harmonizes with the existing brick structures on the campus.

Concrete brick and CMU are notable for their thermal performance, contributing to a comfortable interior temperature, which is essential in a learning environment. The locally produced, high-quality, and durable materials were chosen for their ability to withstand the daily activities of student life — including 35 athletic teams, 125 clubs including four service organizations, a Peer Listener Program in five languages and a top-notch performing arts program. The combination of these materials results in a resilient, sustainable, and welcoming educational environment.

The combination of these materials results in a resilient, sustainable, and welcoming educational environment.