Josiah Quincy Upper School Wins Top Award from Learning by Design Magazine

Award

We’re pleased to share that the new LEED Platinum certified Josiah Quincy Upper School (JQUS) earned a Grand Prize Award from Learning by Design for its thoughtful student- and community-focused design. The Grand Prize is the program’s top award, recognizing projects from across the country that demonstrate exceptional educational architecture.

“The school’s design masterfully integrates a multi-story educational facility within a compact urban site, demonstrating innovative use of space in a dense, historic neighborhood.”

Jury Comments | Learning by Design

Learning by Design’s Educational Facilities Design Awards highlight PK-12 and post-secondary learning environments that solve unique design challenges, promote sustainability, and enhance education for all. The awards jury panel, comprised of architects, educators, and leaders in the educational design space, commended JQUS for its thoughtful vertical programming on a tight urban site, varied outdoor learning environments and public-facing amenities, and efficient, low-carbon design.

As a Grand Prize winner, JQUS earned special recognition for addressing six critical aspects of a successful learning environment:

Design challenges and innovation
Sustainability and social impact
Interior architecture
Next generation learning
Effective space planning
Community needs

These principles are present throughout the design, which expertly weaves educational and sustainability goals in a high-rise facility that welcomes students and community members alike with spaces including a coveted green roof, a double-height, light-filled cafeteria, and flexible classrooms and project areas that accommodate a range of learning and teaching methods.

“Outdoor classrooms, gardens, and rooftop spaces promote movement, hands-on learning, and well-being. Thoughtful vertical stacking and interstate mitigation create a cohesive, high-performance educational environment.”

Jury Comments | Learning by Design

Reaching New Heights: Josiah Quincy Upper School is Boston’s First LEED Platinum Public School

We are thrilled to announce that our design of the new Josiah Quincy Upper School for the City of Boston has recently earned LEED Platinum certification! It is only the second publicly-funded school project in Massachusetts, after our design of the Saugus Middle High School, to earn this designation.

This significant achievement reflects the school’s high standards for efficiency, resiliency, and environmental health as one of the first projects to open under the Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools initiative.

Fossil Fuel Free & Efficient

The building is powered entirely by electricity with efficient heat pump technology, meaning no fossil fuels are used for heating, cooling, or cooking in the school. A well-insulated envelope and optimal window-to-wall ratio minimize energy use from heating and cooling, while most academic spaces have north- or south-facing windows to create optimal daylighting conditions and reduce the need for artificial lighting. Daylight controls and vacancy sensors in classrooms and offices further limit energy expenditure by automatically dimming lights when there is sufficient daylight and turning lights off when a space is unoccupied.

Indoor Air Quality

With few buildable sites for a new school building in Boston’s dense downtown core, JQUS was conceived as a high-rise school on a constrained urban plot adjacent to two highways. From the outset, mitigating the effects of the site’s air pollution was key to creating a healthy and successful learning environment. An efficient displacement ventilation system, enhanced air filtering, and intakes located on the school’s roof and away from the most significant pollution sources assures that clean outdoor air is supplied to all interior spaces.

Design for Equity & Well-Being

JQUS is a middle high school with a 96% minority student body. The school’s auditorium, black box theater, gym, and media center are designed to serve all students in grades 6-12 as well as the community for after-hours events. Despite the constraints of the school’s less than one-acre urban site, the design fosters a connection to nature and prioritizes student well-being through the design of an accessible landscaped rooftop. Complete with an outdoor STEM classroom, gardens, and walking paths, the rooftop provides space for movement, hands-on project work, and mindful contemplation. Gardens with native species of meadow grasses and hardy wildflowers connect students with the local ecology and student planting beds provide hands-on experience growing food.

Resiliency & Water Conservation

All critical mechanical equipment is raised above the first floor to ensure the building’s continued operation and mitigate risk in a potential flood or large storm event. JQUS is designed to preserve groundwater levels with a stormwater detention system under the building that recharges stormwater back into the ground. In addition, the plantings on the roof help to slow stormwater runoff, reducing the chance that drains would be overloaded in a storm event, and low-flow fixtures throughout the building conserve about 240,000 gallons of water annually.