Near the intersection of Downtown and East Austin, the newly renovated George I. Sánchez Elementary embodies community, history, and innovative design. When McKinney York Architects embarked on the journey
to transform this neighborhood school, they turned to Acme Brick, which supplied the brick for the original school nearly five decades earlier.
The goal was to create a modern, inclusive learning environment that celebrated the school’s dual-language culture and honored the community’s historic roots and values. In order to weave the existing structure and new construction into a coherent whole, matching the original brick color was essential. That match is a mix of two brick colors: Alluvial Medium, from Acme’s Perla East Gate Plant; and Pago, from Belden Brick. The order totaled nearly 92,000 units, all modular size and velour texture.
As an industry partner for over 134 years, with a physical presence in Austin nearly as long, Acme Brick is a company whose associates know the importance of a proper “match job” – not simply replicating a color palette but also connecting a building to its environs.
Sánchez Elementary was recently featured on the television series America ByDesign. Watch the full episode below. This project’s section of the episode starts at 21:14.
Client: Austin Independent School District
Architect: McKinney York Architects
General Contractor: Flintco Construction
Masonry Contractor: Whitetail Construction
Photography: Leonid Furmansky
2024 Texas Society of Architects Design Award
2023 AIA Austin Design Award
