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Awards

#3 K-12 Design Firm in Nation

By | News

Huckabee was named the #3 K-12 design firm in the nation by Building Design + Construction in the Giants 400 Report. Education is all that we do, and our clients have put their trust in our team for more than 54 years. We are grateful for their partnership and for our shared commitment to the success of all students.

The Giants 400 Report tracks the largest architecture, engineering and construction firms in the United States. Huckabee ranked #24 in the overall Top Architecture / Engineering Firms and #3 in the more targeted K-12 School Sector Architecture and A/E Firms list. We are one of the only firms represented that focuses exclusively on education. Because of our partners, we have sustained a presence in the top five since 2015 when Huckabee started expanding our team and services to further invest in public education.

To view the list of K-12 design firms in the K-12 School Sector ranking, click here.

Huckabee Honored by KISD

By | News

Huckabee is proud to be recognized by Killeen ISD as part of the Texas Association of School Boards “Stand-up for Texas Public Schools” initiative. The Killeen ISD Education Foundation recognized Huckabee and other business partners in November for our investment and commitment to their district, students and public education. The initiative allows school districts to recognize the partners that have made a difference in their ability to serve students. Our firm has partnered with Killeen ISD for nearly 20 years and has served Texas public schools for 54 years. Education is our sole focus, and we are committed to investing in the success of all students.

Read the press release from Killeen ISD for more information: Click here.

Top 5 Educational Design Firm

By | News

Huckabee was named to the Top 5 Educational Architecture firms in the nation by Engineering News-Record. The 2021 Sourcebook follows the growth and success of architecture and engineering firms within the United States and abroad. Huckabee exclusively serves education and has for 54 years. It’s an honor to be recognized nationally for our service to Texas public schools. This recognition also represents the resiliency and innovation found within our public school systems, who continually focus on what matters most, the success of all students, educators and the communities that embrace them. It’s their innovative spirit that inspires us to do more and be more every day.

For the full list, click here.

Our recent projects

Channelview High School

May 16, 2023

Longfellow Career Exploration Academy

May 15, 2023

Fredericksburg Middle School

May 15, 2023

Godley High School, Phase 2

May 2, 2023

Midway High School CTE

May 2, 2023

Elementary School #59

April 18, 2023

McGhee Elementary School

April 18, 2023

Park Hill Elementary School

March 8, 2023

Righetti High School Addition

July 31, 2022

2021 Caudill Class

By | Clients

Huckabee is excited to celebrate with our partners, Georgetown ISD and Northwest ISD, in receiving the highest honor for educational design in Texas – the Caudill Award! The TASA/TASB Exhibit of School Architecture competition showcases new and renovated Texas schools and celebrates excellence in planning and design of the learning environment. We are thrilled to have two Caudill award-winning projects in each of the past two years. It is in large part to our partnership with visionary districts who continue to influence school design and pursue the best environments for their students. Read more about the 2020-21 Caudill Award winners by clicking here.

The winning projects received at least four stars from six areas of distinction, making them eligible for the Caudill Award, which is named after Texas architect William Wayne Caudill (1914–1983), whose progressive concepts continue to influence school design.

Georgetown ISD won for the retrofitting of Tippit Middle School. This is the second Caudill Award for Georgetown ISD (Hammerlun Center for Leadership and Learning) and its third project to receive consideration (Wagner Middle School). Click here to learn more about the project. Northwest ISD won for the reimagining of its elementary prototype, Lance Thompson Elementary School. Click here to learn more about the project. 

2020 TASA / TASB Awards

By | Clients

Northwest ISD, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD and Georgetown ISD have been recognized by the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) and the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) for their design and instructional vision. Their school designs received Stars of Distinction in this year’s TASA / TASB Exhibit of School Architecture; two of the schools, Lance Thompson Elementary School (Northwest ISD) and James Tippit Middle School (Georgetown ISD), also qualified for the prestigious Caudill Class.

The Exhibit of School Architecture awards are given at the discretion of a 12-member jury, which includes: four school board members, four school administrators, and four members from the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) Southern Region. The juried exhibit awarded Stars of Distinction for Excellence to 25 projects in one or more of the following six areas: design, value, sustainability, community, planning, and school transformation. Click below to view the submissions.

Stars of Distinction for each campus include:

Exhibit of School Architecture

By | Clients

Congratulations to Godley ISD, Rockwall ISD, Georgetown ISD and Mansfield ISD, your vision for four unique projects has been recognized through the TASA/TASB Exhibit of School Architecture awards! The awards program showcases new and renovated Texas schools and celebrates excellence in planning and design of learning environments. Projects are awarded Stars of Distinction in up to six categories for Design, Value, Sustainability, Community, Planning and School Transformation. Our client and firm award winners include:

Godley High School  |  Godley ISD

Star of Distinction in the Community category

Dr. Gene Burton College & Career Academy  |  Rockwall ISD

Star of Distinction in the School Transformation Category

Sarah K. Jandrucko Academy for Early Learners  |  Mansfield ISD

Caudill Class finalist, Star of Distinction in the Design, Community, Planning and School Transformation categories

Hammerlun Center for Leadership & Learning  |  Georgetown ISD

Caudill Class finalist, Star of Distinction in the Design, Value, Community, Planning and School Transformation categories

The Jandrucko Academy and the Hammerlun Center also ranked among the top six award winners and are eligible for the prestigious Caudill Class award, which will be announced in early 2020. Eligible projects include those that receive four or more Stars of Distinction.

Congratulations to our clients and project teams!

#3 in Giants 300

By | News

Building Design + Construction’s “Giants 300” list was released, and Huckabee was named #3 K-12 architecture / engineering firm in the nation. We are thankful for the recognition, but even more thankful for the relationships we have with our clients and the incredible work they invite us to be a part of.

Education has been our purpose, our sole focus for over 52 years, and we are proud to be recognized for work that we find so meaningful. Our firm has experienced incredible growth over the past decade, in direct response to the needs of our clients and the trust they’ve bestowed on us. It is our honor and privilege to serve the educational community, and we extend our thanks to our partners across Texas. We wouldn’t be here with you!

Click here to see the full list. “Giants 300″ ranks architecture, engineering and construction firms across 20+ building sectors and services.

Ranked #37 in Architectural Record

By | News

Huckabee has been ranked No. 37 this year on the Architectural Record magazine Top 300 Architectural Firms list, moving up seven points from 2018. We are proud to serve students, educators and communities through our work, and we are honored that because of their trust, we have a platform to help improve education for all while excelling in our industry.

At Huckabee, we are committed to, and known for, design innovation, technical excellence and personal service. We have exclusively served educational clients in Texas for 52 years, completing over 3,500 projects and greatly impacting students and educators.

Click here to view the full list of Architectural Record magazine Top 300 Architectural Firms.

Kerri Ranney Named POY

By | News

The Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) named Kerri Ranney, AIA, Esq., REFP, the 2019 Southern Region Planner of the Year (POY) at the annual conference in April. A surprise to Kerri, but no surprise to her colleagues and clients at Huckabee! Kerri’s Huckabee family joined her to celebrate the honor. 

Planner of the Year (POY) recognizes dedication and commitment to the growth and overall success of the region and industry. Kerri was nominated by her peers, followed by a committee review of her body of work, personal accomplishments and contributions. With the honor, Kerri will be considered for the International Lifetime Achievement Award competition in 2020.

“Besides being an incredible person, Kerri is the most genuine advocate I know for the planning process. She truly cares about helping clients get to the root of their needs. This diligence has delivered amazing outcomes for school districts time and time again. We are so proud of Kerri.”

Chris Huckabee, AIA, Chief Executive Officer

Kerri has a deep affection for Texas public schools and for the people who make them work day-in and day-out. She believes that the world’s toughest problems can be solved through education, and for Kerri, this means a commitment to help teachers and administrators think differently about how education is delivered and how space is designed. During her time at Huckabee, Kerri has been instrumental in establishing a meaningful and comprehensive planning process; in creating a research lab and subsequent studies focused on education; in working with clients to imagine the impossible; and in being a trusted advisor, mentor and friend to many people across the globe.

ABOUT KERRI

Kerri is Vice President of Educational Practice at Huckabee. She helps clients delve into educational planning, change management, instructional delivery and professional development. Kerri also leads Huckabee’s educational research initiative in partnership with Region 12 ESC and Baylor University.

Kerri joined Huckabee in 2013, bringing 13 years of experience in educational design. She was asked to lead the planning team and crafted the department around providing services that would help schools evolve the learning experience. Kerri’s work with school districts led to incredible innovation not just in the learning environment, but in how school districts approached professional development for educators.

When Huckabee opened an educational research lab, LEx Labs, at Baylor University in 2015, Kerri was instrumental in the long-term planning of the project. Since its opening, Kerri has worked with Huckabee’s research partners to complete four pilot studies and begin a longitudinal study focused on elementary education, flexible furniture and professional learning. Additionally, Kerri brings clients to LEx Labs to facilitate conversations about the future of education. She is a thought-leader in this discipline, and her contribution has allowed Huckabee to combine research, data and outcomes into school planning and design.

In 2016, Kerri joined Huckabee’s shareholder group, taking on an even greater role in establishing the firm’s direction for the future. She joined a team of shareholders that provide leadership to nearly 300 employees across six offices in Texas.

Today, Kerri continues to work with clients while also sharing her expertise with local, national and international audiences. She is actively involved in many professional organizations, including A4LE, and sits on and leads committees focused on school safety / security and educational standards. On a personal level, Kerri is actively involved in her local non-profit sector. She has a passion for organic farming and broadening access to nutritious and fresh options in “food deserts.” She currently serves as the Board Chair of Farmshare Austin, a non-profit organization focused on land preservation, food access and growing the next generation of organic farmers. In addition, she is the proud parent of Cash (10) and Tatum (9), and in her free time, enjoys earning Spartan trifectas.

LEsolutions Award

By | Clients

Huckabee and Georgetown ISD recently received a 2018 LEsolutions Planning and Design Award in the new learning category for George Wagner Middle School. The LEsolutions Planning and Design Awards recognize excellent learning environments that are the result of a thoughtful, thorough planning process. We are honored to receive this award and excited to share it with all the individuals who came together to make this project a reality.

Wagner Middle School was part of a district-wide initiative to redefine the Learner Profile for students in Georgetown ISD. Community members, teachers, students and other stakeholders engaged in meaningful dialogue through educational summits, surveys and interviews to arrive at a new Learner Profile—one that emphasized choice, customization and innovation.

The new Learner Profile ignited an exciting, highly-collaborative planning and design process. The team was fully invested, making sure everything about Wagner Middle School pointed back to the district’s vision of an innovative and inquisitive learner. As a result, the final design embodies a place of purpose and exploration, a place that gives students freedom and responsibility in choosing how they learn.

Within the school, academics are broken into three learning neighborhoods with movable glass walls in the classrooms for maximum flexibility. The campus features multiple collaboration zones—including a large learning stair in the cafeteria and commons—for teachers and students. Outdoor learning spaces, a makerspace and a video lab are just some of the ways students can experience learning and embrace creativity.

To read more and view Huckabee’s winning submission, click here.

About the LEsolutions Awards

The LEsolutions Awards recognize learning environments that positively impact learning and teaching and that inspire change and forward progress. The group behind these awards is the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE), a non-profit whose sole mission is to improve the places where children learn. A4LE believes that great schools are the result of an interactive planning process, and the LEsolutions Awards highlight schools that came about through sound planning and skillful design.

AIA Honor Design Award

By | Clients

The new Godley High School received a 2018 American Institute of Architecture (AIA) Fort Worth Honor Design Award. AIA is an organization that represents the collective voice of architecture and advocates for a better built environment; AIA’s Awards recognize excellence in contemporary architecture and seek to highlight the ways in which buildings and spaces amaze, inspire and improve lives. Huckabee is proud to share this honor with the individuals who came together to envision Godley High School. We are grateful for Godley’s administration, students and community and their participation and enthusiasm surrounding the project.

Godley High School opened in Fall 2018 and supports a district-wide initiative to evolve educational delivery and create a cohesive learning experience. The design of the school centers around the Center for Learning & Innovation, a large core space that features a café, library, collaboration rooms with movable walls, a film room, learning stair and access to the outdoors. The school also wraps around the district stadium, creating a unique viewing experience for athletic events and allowing the school’s commons and outdoor courtyards to double as public-use space. Throughout GHS, engaging collegiate spaces and flexible elements empower students, emphasize choice and encourage collaborative learning. 

Wagner MS Caudill Class

By | Clients

George Wagner Middle School in Georgetown ISD was named a finalist for the Caudill Class, the highest honor awarded as part of the TASA / TASB Exhibit of School Architecture competition. The school received four Stars of Distinction in Design, Community, Planning and School Transformation. Within the same district, Purl Elementary School received three Stars of Distinction, situating GISD as the only school district with two recognitions for 2018-2019.

Wagner Middle School opened in 2017. It’s a beautiful and exciting campus that is playing a critical role in Georgetown ISD’s evolution toward choice, customization and innovation in instruction. The design was the result of a comprehensive planning process that unified ideas from school leaders, community members, students and educators. Huckabee is honored to share this incredible recognition with the many people who imagined what Wagner could become.

The configuration of the school emphasizes choice and shared learning. Academics are split into “dens” for 6th grade, STEM and humanities. Each den features classrooms, labs, flex space, a teacher design lab and outdoor patio. The district removed classroom ownership to support more collaborative and customized instruction, requiring the dens to be highly adaptable and suitable for use by multiple teachers with a variety of curriculum needs and student learning styles.

Dens surround a 2-story commons that brings learning, socialization, assembly and collaboration together into one space. The team prioritized transparency as a way to promote personal responsibility for students and passive supervision for teachers. They adopted a use for all common areas and corridors by using furniture to maximize space for learning.

Wagner Middle School is progressive not just in design, but in how educators approach instruction. The learning environment supports autonomy, trust, responsibility and a more project-based approach. The enthusiasm for learning is noticeable in the way students buzz around the building, accessing every nook and cranny to design their learning experience.

About the Exhibit of School Architecture

Wagner Middle School is one of four Huckabee projects to be recognized in the Exhibit of School Architecture competition. GISD’s Purl Elementary School also received multiple Stars of Distinction in the categories of Community, Planning and School Transformation. Fort Bend ISD’s James Patterson Elementary School and Kaufman ISD’s Kaufman High School received recognition for School Transformation.

The Exhibit of School Architecture awards are given at the discretion of a 12-member jury, which includes: four school board members, four administrators, two representatives from the Texas Society of Architects and two representatives from the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE). To be eligible for consideration for the 2018 Exhibit of School Architecture, projects had to be newly constructed or renovated public education facilities completed in the past five years.

About the Caudill Class

The Caudill Class is reserved for projects that received four or more Stars of Distinction. It is the TASA / TASB Exhibit of School Architecture’s highest recognition and is named after Texas architect William Wayne Caudill (1914–1983), whose progressive concepts continue to influence school design. Winners will be announced in January.

Exhibit of School Architecture

By | Clients

Huckabee is excited to announce that Fort Bend ISD’s James Patterson Elementary School, Kaufman ISD’s Kaufman High School, Georgetown ISD’s Annie Purl Elementary School and Georgetown ISD’s George Wagner Middle School received Stars of Distinction for the TASA / TASB Exhibit of School Architecture competition. It’s a recognition we are proud to share with our incredible partners! The awards highlight excellence in planning and design of learning environments.

Patterson Elementary School and Kaufman High School received recognition for School Transformation. Purl Elementary School received Stars of Distinction for Community, Planning and School Transformation. Wagner Middle School received the highest honor, being noted in the categories of Design, Community, Planning and School Transformation and qualifying for the prestigious Caudill Class. Notably, Georgetown ISD was the only school district to receive honors for multiple schools.

Finalists in the Caudill Class are selected based on receiving four or more Stars of Distinction. The award is the highest level of recognition for the competition and is named after influential Texas architect William Wayne Caudill (1914-1983). The winner will be announced in January.

About the Award-Winning Projects

Each of these schools was the result of a thoughtful planning and design process, and each feature unique attributes that inspire, excite and influence learning.

Patterson Elementary School in Fort Bend ISD is a LEED certified campus. The design creates a more engaging and collaborative space, where students and teachers break out of the classroom for instruction. “Learning pockets” are found throughout, from the 2-story library with flexible furniture, to bench seating in corridors, collab space in classroom wings and an outdoor garden and patio.

Kaufman High School underwent a complete transformation. Multiple buildings were brought under a single roof with unifying elements such as an open and collaborative bistro / library / commons. A new performing arts center, competition gymnasium and CTE wing established a more comprehensive campus. Notably, CTE programs were elevated with the inclusion of a state-of-the-art culinary kitchen, robotics labs and television studio.

The design of Purl Elementary School is inspired by the nearby town square. Classroom wings surround a high-volume commons in the same way storefronts surround the county courthouse, creating a central hub of activity. While interior finishes, furniture and function take a modern form, exterior detailing borrows from the aesthetic of the community’s historic buildings. This community-driven school also features a unique volunteer lab in the secure entry vestibule.

At Wagner Middle School, the configuration emphasizes choice and shared learning. Students have a home base in one of three “dens” for STEM, humanities and 6th grade. They have the ability to spill out from dens into collaborative workspace, outdoor space, the commons, corridors, a maker space and the library. Transparency is critical to the model, and the design of classrooms, teacher design labs and common areas emphasize sightlines and connectivity.

The award-winning projects, along with other projects submitted, will be displayed at the TASA / TASB Exhibit of School Architecture at the annual convention on Sept. 28-30 in Austin. To learn more, visit www.texasschoolarchitecture.org.

About the Exhibit of School Architecture

The Exhibit of School Architecture awards are given at the discretion of a 12-member jury, which includes: four school board members, four administrators, two representatives from the Texas Society of Architects and two representatives from the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE). To be eligible for consideration for the 2018 Exhibit of School Architecture, projects had to be newly constructed or renovated public education facilities completed in the past five years.

Zweig Group Trifecta Award

By | News

For the second year in a row, Huckabee is one of a few companies to earn Zweig Group’s esteemed Trifecta Award. This honor recognizes companies that have won Hot Firm, Best Firms to Work For and Marketing Excellence awards within the same year.

The Hot Firm Award recognizes firms that are rapidly growing in the architecture, engineering and planning industry. Huckabee moved up the list this year, coming in at #7. See the full list of Hot Firms here.

The Best Firms to Work For Award recognizes outstanding work environments and company culture by utilizing employee surveys and corporate evaluations to determine rankings. This year, Huckabee proudly placed third in the architecture category – a testament to our dedication to being more for our team. We place great emphasis on excellence in everything we do, and this means investing in our team, our offices and our culture.

To round out the Trifecta, Huckabee also won a Marketing Excellence Award for our internal 50th anniversary campaign. 2017 was a year of celebration, togetherness, recognition and re-affirmation that the first 50 years were just the beginning! Some of our favorite components of the campaign included a swag-grab kick-off event, a series of “50 Flair” buttons for employees to earn through participation in 50th anniversary events, a “What’s Your 50?” mini-campaign allowing employees to elaborate on what this milestone means to them, special Huckabean anniversary beverages from our coffee bar, a “Be More” program that awarded $50,000 to employees for growth and professional development opportunities and a “Huckapalooza” anniversary bash with employees and their families.

We are excited to share this accomplishment with every member of our team as we embark on the next 50 years. Interested in joining our team? Visit www.morethanaworkplace.com to view our current opportunities.

UMCA Golden Trowel Award

By | Higher Education

Huckabee and Skinner Masonry were awarded the first place Golden Trowel Award at the United Masonry Contractors Association’s 30th annual awards banquet this June. The Golden Trowel Award is a distinction given to architects, mason contractors and suppliers whose projects improve the standard of excellence in the industry. Skinner Masonry and Huckabee worked together on Mathena Hall at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. The building design utilizes arches and pillars to represent strength and bridging the gap. We are excited to share this special honor with Skinner Masonry and our team. All photos by Gary Lockwood.

Huckabee Ranked in ENR Top 500

By | News

This year, Huckabee again ranked amongst Engineering News Record’s Top 500 Design Firms, climbing 13 spots. The list ranks A/E firms across the nation based on revenue for design services performed in the past year. Huckabee continues to see growth throughout the company, and we have increased our staff, expanded our offerings and grown our regional office presence in recent years. Notably, in the past year, Huckabee relocated our Dallas office to Granite Park in Plano, a thriving live-work-play community that will allow for future growth and encompasses our culture of creative and engaging work environments. We also launched the second iteration of our educational research lab, LEx Labs.

In 2017, Huckabee celebrated 50 years of business. Starting off with only 10 employees in the company, Huckabee has grown to over 250 employees in 6 offices throughout Texas, completing over 3,500 projects. Our dedication to Texas education has led Huckabee to be a leader in learning environments and a trusted advisor to many. Huckabee’s growth is due to the trust our clients impart in us and our unwavering commitment to students, educators and communities. We love what we do and who we do it for!

Click here to view the full list of ENR’s Top 500 Design Firms.

Huckabee honored by Midway ISD

By | News

Midway ISD named Huckabee a 2017 Friends of Midway recipient. We are honored by the designation and proud of our 15+ year partnership. Here’s an excerpt from Midway ISD’s announcement:

Suzi Pagel, Executive Director of the Midway Education Foundation, says, “Huckabee has donated to the Midway Education Foundation each year since the nonprofit organization held their first annual campaign in 2001. We appreciate the faithful support that Huckabee has provided us. To date, seven grants have been named in honor of Huckabee. These grants have provided district-wide programs such as Midway Reads as well as elementary and high school level grant.”

In addition, Huckabee Architects have been instrumental in the successful launch of multiple recent large-scale, creative projects at Midway ISD. The Studio, a renovation to the 30-year old Midway Middle School library, has tremendously impacted the life of the campus. The Studio has also served as a best practice example to multiple other school districts interested in makerspaces and flexible arrangement spaces. Huckabee experts have also been crucial to the partnership between Baylor University, Spring Valley Elementary, Education Service Center Region 12, and Huckabee to study how the learning environment affects student engagement.

Read the full story here.

ENR: Design Firm of the Year

By | News

Engineering News Record Texas & Louisiana named Huckabee its 2016 Design Firm of the Year. Huckabee jumped nearly 150 spots in this year’s ENR Top 500 Design Firms to land at No. 213 on the list. Huckabee will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2017 and has experienced exponential growth since the firm opened in 1967. Notably, in the past five years, Huckabee has opened multiple offices in thriving live / work / play communities, recruited the best of the best in educational planning and design and expanded service offerings to provide clients with a more holistic approach to designing the learning environment.

Huckabee will be featured in the June 13 edition of ENR Texas & Louisiana. Click here to read more.

Alvarado Junior High Huckabee Texas
school architecture Huckabee Texas
Learning Commons Huckabee Texas

ENR: #213 on the Top 500

By | News

Huckabee jumped nearly 150 spots to place 213 on Engineering News Record’s 2016 Top 500 Design Firms. The list ranks firms across the nation based on design services revenue. Over the past few years, Huckabee has experienced record growth, increasing its services, staff and local office presence across the state of Texas. Notably in 2015, Huckabee opened a new corporate office in downtown Fort Worth, relocated offices in Houston and Austin into larger spaces (in thriving live / work / play communities) and opened a new office in San Antonio.

Huckabee’s reputation as a leader in learning environments and as a trusted advisor is the driving force behind the firm’s substantial growth. Huckabee has exclusively served educational clients for 49 years, and continues to provide exceptional service, innovative solutions and a client-centric approach for each and every project. Click here to view the full list of ENR’s Top 500 Design Firms.