A New Era for Technical Education: Designing a Purpose-Built Hub for 21st-Century Workforce Training

Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) set out to redefine career and technical education (CTE) with the creation of the new Orange Technical College (OTC) West Campus. For decades, technical instruction had been delivered in a disjointed setting—a repurposed 1950s-era high school and scattered portable classrooms. OCPS’s vision was to consolidate and elevate that experience into a dynamic, future-forward campus that would serve adult learners and high school students alike through high-impact, industry-relevant training. They needed a campus that embodied innovation, equity, and opportunity, where skilled trades and human services were celebrated as vital contributors to the region’s economic future.

A Cohesive, Industry-Inspired Campus 

DLR Group responded with a transformative design for a 37-acre Greenfield site in West Orlando that reimagines the technical college experience from the ground up. Organized around a central Student Commons and courtyard, the campus fosters community, transparency, and active learning between programs such as Construction, Welding, and Human Services.

The technical college experience was reimagined from the ground up on this from the ground up 37-acre Greenfield site in West Orlando that reimagines

The design promotes real-world learning environments that directly reflect industry expectations, including:

• A retail teaching salon for human services training

• Flexible apprenticeship labs and high-bay lab spaces with tilt-up concrete panel construction

• An outdoor build yard with designated electrical and plumbing zones

• An event space for hosting student competitions and community events

  
  

The architectural layout supports cross-disciplinary collaboration and visibility, encouraging pride in skilled trades while accommodating both traditional and second-shift learners. Seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor instructional areas expand possibilities for hands-on training year-round.

Performance & Sustainability: A Campus Built to Last

From the beginning, durability and sustainability were central to the design approach. The campus uses polished concrete floors, acoustically treated ceilings, and passive shading to support comfort and longevity. A high-efficiency HVAC system, rooftop photovoltaic panels, and real-time energy dashboards position the college as a model for sustainable design in CTE environments.

 A high-efficiency HVAC system, rooftop photovoltaic panels, and real-time energy dashboards position the college as a model for sustainable design in CTE environments.

DLR Group’s multidisciplinary services—including architecture, interiors, experiential graphic design, high-performance design, solar/renewables, and landscape architecture—ensured a cohesive and future-ready campus.

Elevating Career Education in Central Florida

The new OTC West Campus offers a proud, future-ready home for technical education in Orange County, meeting the needs of today’s workforce while paving the way for tomorrow’s innovation. It is a testament to OCPS’s commitment to workforce development and to DLR Group’s ability to craft inspiring, high-performance learning environments that center both function and dignity.

Architect: DLR Group

Engineering Partners: BBM Structural Engineering and SGM Engineering (MEP/FP)

Construction Management: Wharton-Smith

Completion: 2023

Project Size: 115,000 SF building + 9,000 SF outdoor instructional space

Project Type: Career & Technical Education Campus (Greenfield Site)

Location: Orlando, FL