Massachusetts Charter School Selects Architect for Renovation Project

The Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School (AMSA) in Marlborough, Mass., recently selected Boston-based Finegold Alexander Architects to provide the design for an upcoming series of renovation and addition projects. According to a press release, work to be done includes system upgrades, a new multipurpose building, interior fit-outs of a previous office building and redesigning the facility’s traffic patterns.

ASMA is a public charter school that opened in 2005 and serves students in grades 6–12. The academy owns and occupies a three-building campus in a former office park space; Finegold Alexander plans to repurpose the third and fourth floors of one of the office buildings to house additional facilities like science labs, classrooms and administrative space. It will also design a new, 14,000-square-foot multipurpose building.

“While the academic program at AMSA is thriving, our team was able to recognize the need to align the school’s various facilities to create a cohesive environment to support teaching and learning,” said Regan Shields Ives, Principal and K-12 studio leader at Finegold Alexander. “We are excited to embark on this significant partnership with AMSA to creatively address the design challenges that the school is currently facing. Our goal is to support its mission of integrity, excellence and community through innovative and welcoming design.”

Finegold Alexander has completed a number of K–12 projects in the New England area, including the Central Catholic Innovation and Wellness addition; Gibbs School in Arlington, Mass.; Eliot Innovation School in Boston, Mass.; and Methuen High School in Methuen, Mass.

“We are thrilled to partner with Finegold Alexander on transforming our campus into a 21st-century educational institution,” said ASMA Executive Director Ellen Linzey. “Their experience working with other K-12 schools will be invaluable in helping us improve our facilities for our students.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Dallas ISD Voters Approve $6.2B Bond Package

    Dallas ISD voters have approved a record-setting $6.2-billion bond package that district leaders say will modernize aging campuses, eliminate portable classrooms and reshape learning environments across one of the nation’s largest school systems.

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • Western Kentucky University, Gilbane Announce “Elevate WKU” Partnership

    Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky., recently announced that it has reached the financial close on a on a public-private partnership (P3) with Gilbane Development, according to a news release.

  • Stanford Online Reveals New Immersive Learning Studio

    Stanford Online recently marked its 30th anniversary with the announcement of a new immersive learning studio, according to a university news release. The studio takes advantage of AI-powered and immersive learning technologies to continue delivering personalized and faculty-led education.