Murrell Dobbins CTE High School

Philadelphia, PA

Murrell Dobbins Career and Technical Education High School underwent a comprehensive renovation to modernize its educational facilities while preserving the historic character of the 1937 Art Deco building designed by Irwin T. Catharine. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the school remains an important educational and civic resource in North Philadelphia. O Z Collaborative led the multi-disciplinary design team for the $36 million renovation, focusing on expanding and strengthening the school’s career and technical education programs. Existing spaces were creatively adapted to support a broader range of specialized instructional environments tailored to contemporary CTE curriculum needs.

The project included classroom renovations, upgrades to administrative and shared educational spaces, and extensive improvements to building systems. Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and life-safety infrastructure were selectively replaced and modernized to support current educational standards and technical program requirements. Preservation and restoration of the building’s historic architectural character remained central throughout the project. Significant Art Deco features and original design elements were carefully integrated into the modernization effort. Construction phasing and logistics were carefully coordinated to allow the school to remain operational throughout renovation. The completed project establishes a contemporary vocational education environment while preserving one of Philadelphia’s most significant historic school buildings.

School District of Philadelphia

< K-12

Empty classroom with large windows, purple chairs, and computers along the wall. There is a blue accent wall and a tiered seating area with green chairs.
Empty commercial kitchen with stainless steel appliances, worktables, stainless steel shelves, baking racks, and large windows along one side.
Commercial kitchen with stainless steel appliances, prep tables, and cooking equipment, illuminated by ceiling lights.
Empty classroom with black tables and blue chairs, green and white walls, large windows with blinds, and a whiteboard and black screen at the front.
A woman sitting at a high counter inside a modern office building with glass walls, with colorful chairs and bright lighting.
Empty cafeteria with round tables and attached benches, large windows along one wall, ceiling lights, polished floor, and doors at the far end.
Empty workspace with sewing machines on desks, chairs, exposed ceiling pipes, purple accent wall, large windows, and wooden flooring.
Interior of a modern building lobby with seating areas, a reception desk, and multiple large windows allowing natural light.
A spacious, well-lit workshop or studio with workbenches, sewing machines, mannequins, and chairs, illuminated by large windows on the right side and overhead lighting. The space has an industrial ceiling with exposed ducts.
A large, modern hair salon with multiple styling stations, black chairs, large windows, and industrial ceiling design.
Black and white photo of a large building under construction, with scaffolding and cranes visible. Several early 20th-century cars are parked along the street in front, with a tree on the left side. Handwritten note at the bottom reads "22nd and Lehi
Black and white photo of a large multi-story building on 21st and Katharine streets in Philadelphia, taken in 1937.
Black and white photograph of a large multi-story building with cars parked in front, taken from a parking lot. The image is credited to the City of Philadelphia, Department of Records, and dated August 22, 1938.