The architectural firm Upman & Adams designed the building in a simplified version of the Colonial Revival style.

In 1951, noted architect Rhees Burkett designed an addition that fronted on N. Quincy Street in the International Style.

An axial orientation to War Memorial Stadium and the primary parking areas is the defining characteristic of the new school.

A ten-lane regulation NCAA short course swimming pool (with optional 25 meter lanes), gym and other indoor athletic facilities, and an 800-seat auditorium opened to the public in July 2009.

The renovation cost Arlington County nearly $100 million and making it one of the most expensive high school construction projects in the United States.

[5] In the wake of the August 2017 Unite the Right rally protesting the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, the Arlington County School Board voted unanimously in June 2018 to rename Washington-Lee High School to remove Lee's name,[6][7] sparking a community discussion on whether this was wanted.

The school's primary corridor on the ground floor is the focal point for the more public spaces, which include the performing arts center, student commons, alumni conference room, cyber cafe, and journalism suite.

It spans the distance between the commons and a primary entrance with access to a multistory parking structure and bus lanes.

The compact massing of the new building allowed for the construction of additional athletic fields on land previously occupied by the former school.

[citation needed] The Washington Liberty Theatre Department participated in the 2024 Brandon Victor Dixon Awards.