Design Response
With a site limited to the north by athletic fields and to the south by wetlands, the new Daniel Hand High School was designed with an efficient and compact footprint. In order to address the limited buildable area, the school was configured into two distinct buildings, allowing a roadway for the school bus loop. To the north, a 3-level academic building utilizes a cluster plan to break down the large, three-story building’s scale and connect team teaching area to flexible common areas. This academic building connects to the core facilities via a bridge, with the core building organized to include a multi-use cafetorium, full gymnasium and multipurpose room, technical education, art and music. The bridge functions as a connector between the two buildings, as student drop-off canopy and as a “senior’s lounge.” Designed to be wide enough to accommodate passing circulation, it was configured with soft seating and captured as useful social space. As the “seniors lounge,” the bridge is an important hub of social activity in the school.