by Amanda Hills
This school won a 2011 Award for Design Excellence from the Boston Society of Architects (BSA).
According to the BSA’s website, this award is for any architect or designer from Massachusetts and any project that is built in this state. Each project is reviewed by a committee of jurors.
This year, the committee assessed 121 projects and presented 16 awards, according to its website. Projects are evaluated on “aesthetic, functional, contextual, sustainability or social” characteristics, as stated on the BSA’s website.
The jury “unanimously agreed that this project raises the standard of excellence for high school academic design,” as commented in their statement on the BSA’s website. “Students must love being there.”
The jurors also observed how the designer, Gund Partnership, incorporated the sports field into the structure. The jury said, “It brings the entrance to the school into play with the sports field.” The gyms also drew attention from the jurors, who said that they were “impressed by the model simplicity and clarity of the gym.”
The committee also took note of the immense amount of light present throughout the building.
The jurors’ statement ended with a high praise. “Truly this is an academic village, a civic and educational gift to the present and future,” they said. “The commitment to excellence by the school board and the community are exemplary.”