SALISBURY — Becker Morgan Group’s project Somerset County Technical High School (SCTHS) caught the attention of The Plan, one of the most acclaimed architecture and design review publications.

The Plan named SCTHS a finalist in its international design awards amongst the over 600 submitted projects, and this joins previously announced accolades since its opening to students in September 2019.

The 103,000 sq. ft. 400-student LEED Gold-rated school is state-of-the-art and designed to prepare students for the workforce.

Somerset County Economic Development Commission Executive Director Daniel Thompson commented on the facility’s impact, "Somerset County Technical High School prepares our students with trade skillsets and hands-on training to use immediately upon graduation with a state-of-the-art facility and enhanced curriculums.

"The Somerset County Technical High School was designed to allow students to enter the workforce with above-average wages in the immediate area and be better prepared for future opportunities."

Somerset County Public Schools used the term "doing more with less’ throughout the design and building process to push the Becker Morgan team to think critically about each decision and responsibly steward the allocated budget.

"Becker Morgan Group took the phrase to heart and responded with a facility that wore multiple hats," a company spokesperson said. "Not only does the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and wiring play a significant role in the operations of the building, but it is also used as a teaching tool and putting those systems on display for students to learn from."

A green roof reduces the heat island effect of the building while serving as an outdoor lab for horticulture students. Large windows into each learning lab transform the hallway into a museum of trades and instills pride into the students work. "Wherever you turn in SCTHS you will find a design element working hard for the students of Somerset County."

In the fall of 2020 Engineering News-Record (ENR) named SCTHS the Best Project for K-12 Education in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Last winter, Becker Morgan Group received two American Institute of Architects (AIA) awards for the school — the AIA Maryland Merit Award for Institutional Architecture and the AIA Chesapeake Bay Merit award for Non-Residential New Construction.

The Becker Morgan Group was established in 1983 and is a full-service design firm delivers award-winning work in education, healthcare, public safety, hospitality, commercial, government, residential, and land development.

For more information visit https://www.theplan.it/eng/award-2021-education/somerset-county-technical-high-school-collaborative-hands-on-learning-becker-morgan-group-inc