King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools & Community Complex

Project Details

Project Description

FROM THE ARCHITECTS:

The 273,000 square foot building is the new home of a preschool, elementary school, middle school, community services, public library, school district offices, and community pool. The building excels on all ten design measures, most notably Designing for Energy, Water, Wellness and Equitable Communities. The $130M project is Net Zero Emissions, with all-electric systems, and incorporates the City’s largest solar array to produce at least 60% of the required energy onsite. The remaining energy comes from Cambridge’s renewable electricity contracts to achieve Net Zero Emissions. Rainwater is collected on site and reused for irrigation and toilet flushing. The project is designed to perform at an ultra-low EUI of 25, even with heavy daily and year-round use. This is achieved using several unique planning and user engagement strategies in addition to building and energy efficiency systems. Building mechanical systems are ground source heat pumps supplying radiant heating and cooling and displacement ventilation with demand control CO2 sensors, providing improved thermal comfort, acoustics, and air quality. Other energy efficiency features include R-28 walls, R-40 roofs, a dedicated outdoor air system, daylight controls, LED lighting, and point-of-use hot water. Renewable energy is generated by roof, façade, and sunshade mounted PV, as well as solar thermal hot water to serve the kitchen and radiant loop. During the planning and design phase, the project team performed a comprehensive user engagement strategy to highlight the importance of user behavior on energy usage. “Net Zero Champions” were recruited from the faculty and staff to participate in a series of workshops to identify and evaluate user behaviors that contribute to inadvertent energy consumption. Strategies were identified such as a shared faculty workroom in each classroom neighborhood to provide common microwaves, coffee makers and refrigerators, eliminating individual units in each classroom. The entire complex must provide a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment for its community. The design supports this mission through its organization, enhanced interior environment, and community resources within an underserved area of the city. From job skills and ESL classes in the public library to community theater in the auditorium to inclusive special education academic programs, the building meets the entire community's needs. Cooling areas address the heat vulnerability of the neighborhood and provide welcomed respite. The schools' mission of social justice is reflected in the interior planning, signage, and displays. Students and faculty spend a lot of time in school, so they deserve a healthy environment to learn and teach. The building is designed to support wellness as an essential part of childhood development; the design acknowledges the degree to which the indoor environments can directly impact learning. Indoor environment, Universal Design, safety, and social equity are all important components of childhood development supported by this building. Materials were evaluated for their impact on health, and Red List Free materials were incorporated wherever possible. Connecting with nature through biophilic design, thermal and acoustical comfort, daylighting, and movement were fundamental considerations in the interior design.

Project History

Starting in 2014, the community was engaged in the design process continuously from feasibility through construction. The design team held open visioning charrettes at school events, community picnics, senior centers, and sporting events to reach the greatest spectrum of the population. These groups included community members, businesses, faculty, and students who all directly influenced the types of programs and spaces within the final building and site. Physical models, diagrams, renderings, and virtual reality were presented for hands-on discussions. Result: A responsive design for a population heavily invested in the success and utilization of the project. The community feedback helped define the project’s programming. The project’s fundamental design intent was to provide a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment for young people and the surrounding neighborhood. The result blends two schools with community programs into a single complex, including outdoor resources such as a reading garden, bocce court, five playgrounds, swimming pool, civic plaza, and interior spaces like the public library, auditorium, cafeteria, and gymnasiums. The massing allows the community spaces to be available for after-hours and weekend use. The building’s varied program means many things to many people—a school, daycare, public library, pools, school district administration, and community center. Investing in a project that serves so broad a range of the community’s needs reflects respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion. The branch library and pools are prominently placed to send a strong signal to all to engage in their community resource and claim it as their own. Today, almost a year and a half after the building’s opening, the library circulation, programming, and patronage has rapidly increased. The City Preschool is fully enrolled and double the size of the previous facility. The community amenities – auditorium, cafeteria, and gyms have been drawing community groups for after hours and weekend activities. Client Testimonials: “The physical layout, natural lighting, net zero goal, and easy access to the outdoors all enhance the learning experience. In addition to the school day experience the campus has transformed the streetscape along the street highlighting the exterior grounds as a place for passersby to stop and soak up the fresh air and enjoy the beautiful landscaping.” - Jim Maloney, COO, Cambridge Public Schools “[The Citizens] are proud of the space, size, accessibility, and welcoming nature... a great example of the City’s commitment to enhancing the experience of residents when visiting our libraries.” - Director of Libraries “It was important to us that the school be open, bright, and viewed as an accessible partner to the wider community....and will invigorate us to think more creatively and collaboratively with caregivers about how to make this school a home away from home—a community center where you will want to be.” - Principal Manuel Fernandez, Cambridge Street Upper School

PROJECT CREDITS
Project: King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools & Community Complex, Cambridge, Mass.
Owner: Brendon Roy
Architects: Arrowstreet Inc., William Rawn Associates
Project Team: Construction Manager: W.T. Rich/KBE Joint Venture
MEP/FP Engineer: Garcia, Galuska & DeSousa, Inc.
Structural Engineer: LeMessurier Consultants, Inc.
Civil Engineer: Nitsch Engineering
Landscape Architect: Copley Wolff Design Group
Acoustics & AV: Acentech
Food Services: Crabtree McGrath Associates
Pool Design: Aquatic Design Group
FF&E: Point Line
Space Specifications: Kalin Associates
Energy/net zero: In Posse
LEED: Soden Sustainability Consulting
Lighting: HLB Lighting Design
Traffic: VHB Code: R.W. Sullivan Engineering
Cost Estimating: VJ Associates Geotechnical: CDM Smith
Commissioning: Stephen Turner Inc.
Photography: Robert Benson Photography, Anthony Crisafulli