Transforming Education, Connecting with Nature

Concord Middle School

Concord, MA

The Concord Public Schools is seeks to revolutionize the learning experience by creating an innovative and sustainable environment for the next generation. Spanning 143,000 SF, Concord Middle School consolidates two existing facilities into a single middle school and will support grades 6-8 with an enrollment of 700 students. . Anchored by the principles of supporting next-generation learning, achieving net-zero energy, and cultivating a profound connection to nature, the school is strategically positioned on the edge of a plateau, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding forest and wetlands. The design embraces a unique concept known as The Treetop Teams. This concept organizes clusters of learning environments around a team commons, with these spaces intentionally designed to be elevated above the tree canopy, providing students with panoramic vistas and a profound connection to nature. The dedicated team commons are where students can come together to work on projects and engage in interdisciplinary learning, building on the client’s mission for team-based learning. The building is being developed as an all-electric building, to achieve Net Zero Ready when open, with a targeted maximum Predicted Energy Use Intensity (pEUI) of 25 kBtu/SF/year, placing the utmost importance on achieving ultra-low energy consumption while harnessing the potential of on-site renewable energy sources.