Compton High School, CA
Ninyo & Moore, a SOCOTEC Company, provided geotechnical engineering, materials testing, special inspection, and environmental services for the transformation of Compton High School into a modern 31-acre educational campus — a project that earned the 2026 ASCE MLAB Geotechnical Project Award.
Key Information
Project name: Compton High School
Client: Compton Unified School District
Location: Compton, California
Project value: $232+ million
Completion date: 2025
Services Provided: Geotechnical engineering, Construction materials testing, Special inspections, Environmental services
Awards: ASCE MLAB 2026 Geotechnical Project Award
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The Challenge
Reinventing a Historic Campus for Compton Students
After serving generations of students for 126 years, the Compton Unified School District set out to replace its aging campus with a modern, technology-focused 31-acre facility capable of supporting more than 1,800 students.
The scope was ambitious. Plans called for three major new buildings:
- A 140,639-square-foot Academic Building
- A 40,868-square-foot Andre “Dr. Dre” Young Performing Arts Center 900-seat
- A 36,534-square-foot Gymnasium
Additional facilities include a locker room building, swimming pool building, athletic facilities, concession buildings, a digital-first library, a football stadium, sports fields, parking areas, and extensive site improvements.
Delivering a large-scale educational campus involved careful coordination across multiple disciplines and construction phases. The project included extensive structural elements, underground utilities, athletic facilities, and site improvements, requiring a strong foundation and rigorous quality assurance throughout construction.
Beneath the surface, the site presented its own obstacles. Our evaluation revealed old conduits, wells, and variable soil and environmental conditions across the property. Excavations deeper than five feet below existing grade encountered high moisture content, requiring careful geotechnical judgment to keep the project moving without compromising the integrity of the new structures.
To maintain project momentum, the project team worked collaboratively to identify challenges early and implement effective solutions.
The Solution
Delivering Integrated Engineering Expertise
As a trusted technical partner, our California teams supported the project from design through construction by providing services across multiple disciplines:
- Geotechnical evaluation and design, establishing the foundation design criteria and site preparation requirements for the entire campus
- Engineered earthwork recommendations, including overexcavation and recompaction to provide approximately 3 feet of engineered fill beneath building pads, 2 feet beneath paved areas, and 12 inches beneath turf and hardscape areas
- Geogrid reinforcement design, incorporating three layers of geogrid within building pads to enhance subgrade performance and support the structural loads of the new facilities
- Geotechnical observation during construction, verifying that earthwork and subgrade preparation aligned with design intent
- Materials testing and special inspection, confirming that construction materials met project specifications throughout the build
- Environmental services, addressing site conditions identified during construction
As a trusted technical partner, our California teams supported the project from design through construction by providing services across multiple disciplines:
- Geotechnical evaluation and design, establishing the foundation design criteria and site preparation requirements for the entire campus
- Engineered earthwork recommendations, including overexcavation and recompaction to provide approximately 3 feet of engineered fill beneath building pads, 2 feet beneath paved areas, and 12 inches beneath turf and hardscape areas
- Geogrid reinforcement design, incorporating three layers of geogrid within building pads to enhance subgrade performance and support the structural loads of the new facilities
- Geotechnical observation during construction, verifying that earthwork and subgrade preparation aligned with design intent
- Materials testing and special inspection, confirming that construction materials met project specifications throughout the build
- Environmental services, addressing site conditions identified during construction
The Results
A Collaborative Approach to Project Success
The success of Compton High School was driven by collaboration between the school district, construction management team, design professionals, contractors, inspectors, and testing and inspection specialists.
Working as one unified team, project stakeholders were able to address construction challenges efficiently while maintaining the project schedule and quality expectations.
Structurally, the new buildings feature concrete foundations and grade beams, structural steel framing, and concrete-over-metal-deck systems, all built on the engineered ground conditions our team helped establish.
The careful design and attention to detail throughout the construction process exceeded expectations, transforming a vision into a reality that will benefit generations of students and the entire community.
Achievements
Awards and Recognition
The project's design excellence was further recognized with an Award of Excellence in the Project Design category at the CASH/AIA CA Leroy F. Greene Design & Planning Awards, underscoring the district's commitment to innovative learning environments.
For our team, the achievement was equally significant: the geotechnical engineering scope of this project earned Ninyo & Moore, a SOCOTEC Company, the ASCE MLAB 2026 Geotechnical Project Award, recognition of the technical rigor and collaboration behind the campus's unseen foundation.
The campus also received national attention following a $10 million donation from renowned musician and producer Dr. Dre toward the Andre “Dr. Dre” Young Performing Arts Center, with the public ribbon cutting attended by community leaders, project partners, and the project team.
The project's design excellence was further recognized with an Award of Excellence in the Project Design category at the CASH/AIA CA Leroy F. Greene Design & Planning Awards, underscoring the district's commitment to innovative learning environments.
For our team, the achievement was equally significant: the geotechnical engineering scope of this project earned Ninyo & Moore, a SOCOTEC Company, the ASCE MLAB 2026 Geotechnical Project Award, recognition of the technical rigor and collaboration behind the campus's unseen foundation.
The campus also received national attention following a $10 million donation from renowned musician and producer Dr. Dre toward the Andre “Dr. Dre” Young Performing Arts Center, with the public ribbon cutting attended by community leaders, project partners, and the project team.
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