Holten Richmond Middle School

Studies on increasing enrollment and aging school facilities recommended converting the vacant Holten and Richmond buildings into a middle school to replace the existing school. The buildings offered 95,000 SF of interior space, but the configuration was inappropriate for modern educational programs and the restricted site afforded limited expansion room for new construction. Numerous schematic design options were prepared and the final solution utilized renovation, selective demolition, and a contemporary addition at the rear of the existing building.

The new school maintains the historic character of the Holten and Richmond buildings by restoring the façades, while existing interior spaces were completely reconfigured. The new design also took into account community access to core facilities. The school opened on time despite extraordinary latent conditions uncovered during construction, and was part of the Green Schools initiative from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.