Drive by St. Mark’s School of Texas on Preston Road and you can see the copper roof panels and dome of the new Winn Science Center shining brightly.
Ground broke on construction in May 2017, and the building is targeted for completion in December. The center is planned to open in January 2019, according to spokeswoman Katy Rubarth. The science center is named after Steve Winn, a St. Mark’s 1964 graduate, who studied engineering and founded several technology businesses.
In 2014, Winn announced a gift of $10 million from the Winn Family Foundation. Over a two-year period, more than 55 families pledged $32 million to surpass the $40 million goal for the project to be approved by the board of trustees. The design architectural firm is Robert A.M. Stern Architects.
Among the features, according to the school’s website:
- A 50,000 square feet of new learning space
- A large, open atrium
- An 80-seat theater-style planetarium, which will host student groups from around the Dallas area
- A 230-seat lecture hall
- Dedicated spaces for Lower School science
- A lab for space, shop and robotics
- Labs for biotechnology, chemistry and more
- An outdoor learning area to observe the native Texas ecosystem.
The school is pursuing LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. — Lisa Kresl
To view a live feed of the center’s development, go to science.smtexas.org.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
10600 Preston Road
Enrollment: 877
Average tuition: $30,872
smtexas.org