Making Transformative Opportunities
Buckingham Browne & Nichols Middle School – Cambridge, MA
The Middle School renovation was prompted by extensive deferred maintenance and accessibility challenges, but the design and client team quickly realized that addressing mundane needs could lead to better school life. The design transforms the center of the school by creating entrances at a new terrace level interconnected by two dedicated foyer spaces for the 7th and 8th grades. The architectural commission included interior design, furniture selection and procurement. Construction was executed in less than six months to accommodate school relocation pressures, and often daily meetings were required with builder and tradesmen to curtail construction administration timelines.
LOCATION
Cambridge, MA
SIZE
24,000 GSF
CONTRACTOR
Consigli Construction Co.
CONSULTANTS
BER Engineering, Richard Burck Associates, McPhail Associates
PHOTOGRAPHY
Raj Das, Anna Olivella
ROLE
This project was completed while Project Manager at Austin Architects LLC.
The terrace is reached from vehicular drop-offs at the front of the school via a boardwalk that winds beneath two mature beech trees, whose canopies shade and define the outdoor space. Inside, the entire center portion of the school structure is rebuilt to gracefully accommodate level changes, bathrooms, an elevator, and foyers that become the heart of the school. On either side, classrooms and administrative spaces in the historic mansion and adjoining classroom wing are reconfigured to maximize use of available space for classrooms, faculty offices, small meeting rooms, and a flexible learning commons.
