A Gateway to the Woods
Concord Middle School unites sustainability, collaboration, and nature to shape the future of education.
Concord Middle School
Concord, MA
Concord Public Schools is reimagining the middle school experience by consolidating two outdated campuses into a single, purpose-built facility that prioritizes sustainability, team-based learning, and connection to the natural world. The new 143,000-square-foot Concord Middle School will serve 700 students in grades 6–8 and embodies the district’s vision for next-generation education.
Shaped by the Land
Set at the edge of a wooded rise, the building nestles into the natural topography, preserving mature trees and respecting the ecological context. The site’s adjacency to forested wetlands provides opportunities for outdoor learning, environmental stewardship, and daily connection to nature. Through strategic placement and minimal grading, the school appears to emerge from the landscape, while outdoor classrooms, walking paths, and stormwater gardens blur the boundary between building and biome.
The school’s layout is thoughtfully organized, with grades separated by floor level. Within each grade, teams are strategically arranged around a central Commons area, complemented by core subject classrooms, fostering a collaborative and project-based learning approach.
Designed to Connect
Concord’s “Treetop Teams” concept organizes students into grade-based clusters of classrooms anchored by shared commons. These naturally lit hubs support interdisciplinary learning and social development, while elevating students above the tree canopy, literally and figuratively. Expansive glazing offers panoramic views of the landscape, reinforcing a sense of openness and belonging. Circulation routes and gathering spaces encourage movement, flexibility, and peer-to-peer engagement throughout the day.
Built for Tomorrow
The facility is all-electric and Net Zero Ready, with a predicted energy use intensity (pEUI) of just 25 kBtu/SF/year. Rooftop photovoltaics, energy recovery systems, and high-performance insulation reduce carbon impact and operating costs. Natural daylighting strategies and operable windows support wellness while minimizing artificial lighting demand. The building’s systems and materials, including low-embodied-carbon selections, reflect Concord’s leadership in climate-conscious civic investment.
Material Choices Reflect Mission
Exterior materials such as natural wood and fiber cement panels offer warmth and tactile authenticity while resisting weathering and aging. Inside, finishes are selected to be inviting, resilient, and easy to maintain. Biophilic design cues, such as wood ceiling panels, daylight penetration, and nature views, reinforce the project’s emphasis on well-being and cognitive development. Throughout, material decisions reflect the community’s values and environmental ethic.
Future-Focused Learning
The new Concord Middle School is a platform for 21st-century learning. Spaces are flexible, tech-integrated, and designed to evolve in tandem with curriculum needs. Maker spaces, labs, and studios support hands-on, experiential learning, while the layout promotes equity and inclusion by ensuring all students have access to shared resources and outdoor learning environments. The result is a school that prepares students not only academically but socially, emotionally, and environmentally for the future.
