Dover High School & Regional Career Technical Center
Dover’s new school facility is a fully integrated high school and regional career technical center that supports a broad range of educational delivery methods and inspires hands-on exploration and learning.
Dover, NH
310,000 sf
9 – 12
1,500
19 CTE programs
1,000 MWh/yr
“Students, parents, and community members have shared a lot of positive feedback about the building, and this has instilled a renewed sense of pride in the education system of the City of Dover. I have heard the phrase, ‘Wow, this looks like a community college campus!’ while giving tours of the facility.”
Tom Waldron | Former Dean of Students, Dover High School
When students and community members enter the school, they arrive at the Town Square, a central dining commons that acts as the heart of the school and unifies core spaces including the gym, auditorium, and publicly focused CTE spaces, from culinary arts to cosmetology.
CTE programs are fully integrated into the academic wings and visible so that students are engaged and immersed in a culture of making. Alongside science classrooms are spaces for pre-engineering and biotechnology; art classrooms abut woodworking and building technology programs; academic spaces are adjacent to marketing and business CTC classrooms.
Designing for the Future
Along with classroom and specialized learning spaces, each wing contains a Learning Commons with social spaces and student-centered learning nodes. The design reflects the idea of a “future proof” school, one that is truly flexible and can be re-organized by department, grade levels, or subject while maintaining equal access to the CTE and social spaces.
“The school serves not only its students and staff population needs, but also that of the community at large.”
Jury Comments | Learning By Design
Dover High School & Regional Career Technical Center was honored by AIA NH in the 2021 Design Awards, receiving a Merit Award for Excellence in Architectural Design. Watch the video above to learn how the new school demonstrates a bold and thoughtful integration of common areas, specialized learning spaces, and site to create a timeless design that will serve Dover for generations.
“Now with the new design, layout and technology infrastructure, we have seen a significant boost in collaborative work.”
Tom Waldron | Former Dean of Students, Dover High School
Awards/Credits
- Merit Award for Excellence in Architectural Design, AIA NH Design Awards, 2021
- Bronze Citation, American School & University Educational Interiors Showcase, 2021
- Outstanding Project, Learning by Design Spring Educational Facilities Design Awards, 2020
- Photography, Ed Wonsek
