Watkinson School Science and Global Citizenship Center
WATKINSON SCHOOL | HARTFORD, CT
Watkinson School is an independent co-educational institution that serves 250 students grades 6-12. Coming from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, Watkinson emphasizes a vibrant intellectual program that seeks to develop in students the power to shape their lives and the world around them.
To achieve its goal of an Energy Neutral building, Watkinson selected the JCJ team to collaborate with San Francisco-based Project FROG on the design of a building for their new Science and Global Citizenship Center. The building, dubbed the solarium, supports an interdisciplinary and collaborative curriculum and features three adaptable classrooms for lectures, seminars, and lab-style instruction.
The project utilizes an integrated and pre-designed (modular) building platform, providing a singular solution for the core and shell. In addition to project management and relevant local coordination, we led design of the educational interior.
With geothermal power, living roof, PV panels, and advanced sensors, the three1,280 square-foot classroom pods feature 75 percent energy-demand reduction, abundant daylight, superior air quality, climate control technology as well as renewable and recycled materials. Completed in 2009, this project and our client were way ahead of their time.
“This Net Zero building is as smart as the students and teachers in it.”
