The new Dover High School represents greater openness, flexibility, and accessibility for every student. Built on the site of the existing high school, the new school navigates the more challenging portions of the available site and responds with innovative ways to connect the students to each other, and to the community beyond. The three-story design creates a compact footprint and brings everyone into the school at the mid-level, enabling greater accessibility to every space. The sunken courtyard feature near the entries delivers enhanced daylight and greater indoor/outdoor connections.

The openness of the building is best exemplified in the centrally located gathering space that connects to every major component of the new school: media center, academics, theater, and gymnasium. Situated between the key public venues of the theater and gymnasium, the gathering space serves as a pre-function space for both. During the day it also serves as a dining space for the students and connects to the courtyard for outdoor dining and gathering. The learning stairs on either end allow the space to function as a place for enhanced interactive learning throughout the school day.

The athletic spaces benefit from the stacked approach to the building design, separating student competitors from community spectators. While all of the student competition & support spaces are organized on the lower level, the spectators enter the school at the middle level through the event entry. By preserving the existing high school gymnasium, the school and surrounding community have greater access to more indoor recreation spaces year-round.

The music and performing arts are elevated with the new 1200-seat theater. The performing arts spaces are organized to keep the student learning and support spaces on the lower level while the audience members enter the theater at the middle level. The stage, music, and visual art classrooms are all on the lower level, where they can serve as practice and prep space for music and theatrical performances. The balcony on the 3rd floor of the theater doubles as a large lecture-style space complete with A/V support and tablet-arm chairs.