Madison High School, a Houston ISD school in the Hiram Clarke neighborhood of southwest Houston, opened in the mid-1960s to serve Houston’s growth toward the near southwest suburbs. After almost 50 years in service, the school needed extensive repairs and modernization to continue serving the community. A complete rebuild on the original site, designed to serve more than 2,100 students and faculty, was financed through a sweeping 2012 bond program that renovated or rebuilt 40 HISD schools, including 29 high schools. Today, the new Madison High School is a beautiful, modern, two-story facility with greatly expanded amenities — and serves as a magnate school for environmental science, robotics and other STEM pursuits.

M2L partnered with architect Huitt–Zollars on a new-construction facility on the existing site, opening to students in 2019. M2L’s design team created a comprehensive landscape plan for the campus and courtyards, including modern, low-maintenance plantings, new sports facilities such as baseball and softball fields and sports courts, enhanced sidewalks and parking, auxiliary buildings, and student gathering spaces. The outdoor student and visitor spaces are designed to foster a collective community spirit for students and staff through nontraditional shapes and forms.