As designers, we saw iCSI as a chance to turn a former supermarket into a real working classroom for the cybersecurity field. The shell gave us clear spans and high volume. We used that to build a focused sequence from a new front door to a clear lobby, then into labs and Security Operations Center classrooms that feel like the places these students want to work in after graduation.

The SOC rooms are the heart of the project. They are laid out like professional security operations centers, with banks of monitors and three video walls in each classroom. The walls carry live data, simulated attacks, maps, and student work, so teaching happens at the same scale and complexity as real incidents. Raised access floors and technology integrated demountable walls keep wiring, screens, speakers, and controls flexible and serviceable as the program changes over time. Writeable surfaces and custom graphics tie the space to cybersecurity themes and give each room a clear identity.

Between the high intensity rooms, we placed collaborative areas where students can meet, work in teams, and prepare for certifications. These zones sit along student paths, near labs and classrooms, so informal mentoring and group work stay visible. A new main entry, lobby, restrooms, and administrative suite frame the program and support day to day operations, giving staff clear sightlines and giving visitors an immediate sense of purpose when they step inside.

The goal was simple. Give San Antonio students a place that looks and works like the industry they are entering. Every design move, from the shell conversion to the video walls and graphics, supports hands on learning, real credentials, and a clear path into a growing local workforce.