Morabito Consultants provided structural engineering design services for Somerset County Technical High School, also known as the J.M. Tawes Technology & Career Center, a 103,000-square-foot career and technical education facility in Westover, Maryland. The school supports approximately 400 students in grades 8–12 and provides hands-on training in technical, trade, healthcare, engineering, culinary, automotive, and construction-related programs.
The building is organized into distinct functional components, including a single-story shop and warehouse area and a two-story classroom and administrative wing. The shop space uses a pre-engineered metal building system to accommodate large-span, flexible training environments, while the academic wing uses composite steel framing supported by wide-flange beams and steel columns. Roof systems incorporate steel bar joists and metal deck to provide efficient structural support across varied program areas.
A unique feature of the facility is the intentional exposure of structural framing and mechanical systems, allowing the building itself to serve as a teaching tool for students in technical trade programs. This approach reinforces the hands-on educational mission while showcasing structural and building systems in an accessible way.
The project achieved LEED Gold certification and received multiple industry honors, including the ENR Mid-Atlantic Best Project Award for K–12 Education, the AIA Maryland Merit Award, the AIA Chesapeake Bay Merit Award for Non-Residential New Construction, and a Learning by Design Outstanding Project Award.