Bard High School Early College
Washington, DC
K-12 education
Region: Hell Mididalantic
Sent by: McN Build
Owner: DC Department of General Services, DC Department of Parks and Recreation, KIPP DC
Lead design company: Perkins Eastman DC
General contractor: McN Build
Civil Engineer: Bow
Structural Engineer: SK structural engineers and a
MEP Engineer: Cmta
Creation on a DC metro tunnel defied the Bard High School Early College project team, which transformed an old elementary school into an institution dedicated to increasing access to higher education for low -income communities and less represented by providing a free university program.
Natasha Pollione, MCN Build Project Manager, said that the effort required “careful planning of the site, stormwater management and adjustments to the placement of the geothermal well. Through continuous coordination with MCN, Pedc and our subcontractors, we have successfully sailed all conflicts that affect the design of the geothermal well, maintaining the project in budget and during hours. “”
Photo by Joseph Romero, courtesy McN Build
Built in Leed Platinum and Zero clean energy specifications, the school has a roof prepared for solar panels, geothermal wells and numerous other sustainable elements. The workplace includes a hard landscape square, sidewalks, EV loaders, bioretence structures and an artificial playing field surrounded by a runway. The efforts of the design team complement neighborhood architecture and provide community services such as a basketball court and public art.
Photo by Joseph Romero, courtesy McN Build
The new school has well -lit classrooms, collaborative areas, a black box, gym, auditorium, café, science laboratories, study spaces, stage art spaces and outdoor learning areas.
To adapt the existing elementary school to a secondary school and initial university program within the original building footprint, designers “prioritized multifunctionality,” says Kristina Vidal, a senior associate of Perkins Eastman. “The spaces were strategically designed to serve various purposes, maximizing efficiency while improving flexibility.”
The building of the sixties was recreated as a diverse “learning landscape” with a main focus on civic presence.
Photo by Joseph Romero, courtesy McN Build
She continues, “Through reflexive spatial planning and design strategies, we transformed the limitation of the existing structure into an opportunity: creating a dynamic, high -performance learning environment that supports both students and educators.”
