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Groton Middle School

New Consolidated Middle School

the story

At the culmination of a master plan for Groton Public Schools and the largest passed-referendum in state history, a new 155,000-SF, 950-student middle school was the first of three school projects for the ship-building, coastal district. Two middle schools, located on opposite ends of town, were consolidated to bring together students of varying demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds, and combine their respective themes, STEAM and Arts & Humanities, under one roof. 

at-a-glance

TYPE:
New Building
PRACTICE:
Architecture
Interior Design
Programming & Planning
Structural Engineering
LOCATION:
Groton, CT
STATUS:
Completed 2020
SIZE:
155,000 SF
INSIGHT

Our challenge was to transform the site to fit Groton Public Schools’ academic and facility needs for the school. The design had to integrate a safe and healthy environment for learning while providing flexible, educational environments that promote tomorrow’s teaching and collaborative learning activities.

SOLUTION

SLAM worked closely with Groton Public Schools to ensure their academic and facility goals were met. The new school provides hands-on and simulated learning spaces to support engaged learning, exterior learning space that ties to the architecture and organization of the building, and improved access to technological tools for faculty and students throughout the building.

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Floor level design themes of sea, land, sun and sky are inspired by the building’s shoreline location.

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Interior color by floor is implemented as wayfinding with inspirational super-graphics in key locations.

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Common spaces integrate all four colors, representing inclusivity of the entire student body.

IMPACT

Sustainability Design Features:

  • Protection of wetlands and natural habitat for endangered bird species on existing site
  • Storm water management (retention ponds and underground storage)
  • Thermally efficient building envelope: Walls R-25 and Roof R-50
  • Ventilation with 100% outside air, CO2 monitoring and heat recovery
  • Chilled beams with conventional boiler/chiller plant 
  • Ice storage production during off-peak hours for reducing peak demand electrical charges for chiller operation
  • Automated lighting controls with low lighting power density for maximum efficiency
  • Windows to maximize daylighting and views to exterior
  • Low-flow plumbing fixtures consuming 20% less water  

The project exceeds Connecticut’s High Performance Building Standards, achieving LEED Gold equivalent.

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The planning for the middle school embraces the sloped site by safely inviting students to a single bus entrance on grade at the second floor, opposite from the first floor, main public entry.

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Between these two points, a multi-level organizing concourse guides foot traffic to a crossroads of academics, specialty instruction and community gathering spaces.

Project Contacts

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