PROJECT Havre de Grace Middle / High School
ARCHITECT Grimm + Parker Architects
LOCATION  Havre de Grace, Maryland US

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE  8/31/2020
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM  Antonio Rebelo, AIA; Zachary Klee, AIA; Karen Burlingame, AIA; Michael Smyles, Catherine Schooley, Michael Berry, Danyle Brooks, AIA
OWNER/CLIENT Harford County Public Schools
CONTRACTOR/CONSTRUCTION MANAGER  Hess Construction
PHOTOGRAPHER  Sam Kittner
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT KCI Technologies
CIVIL ENGINEER KCI Technologies
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Columbia Engineering, Inc.
MECHANICAL ENGINEER Gipe Associates, Inc.
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER Gipe Associates, Inc.
CONSULTANT LEED Consultant: SDC Sustainable Design Consulting LLC, 1421 Lombardy Alley, 1st Floor, Richmond, VA 23219, pamela@sustaindesign.net, (804) 644-3880
CONSULTANT Technology and Communications: Wright Engineering LLC, 853 Ripple Stream Ct., Joppa, MD 21085-1201, deb@wrightengineering.net, (410) 877-6297
CONSULTANT Kitchen Consultant: Nyikos Associates, 7146 Starmount Way, New Market, MD 21774, pnyikos@nyikos.com, (240) 683-9530 x100
CONSULTANT Acoustician: Threshold Acoustics LLC, 141 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 2080, Chicago, IL 60604, kbruton@thresholdacoustics.com, (312) 386-1400
CONSULTANT Hardware Consultant: Erbschloe Consulting Services, Inc., 7820 Carter's Run Dr., Marshall, VA, 20115, frank@ecsi-ahc.com, (540) 351-0553
CONSULTANT Cost Estimator: Forella Group LLC, 5180 Parkstone Dr., Suite 250, Chantilly, VA, 20151-3812, jennifer@forellagroup.com, (703) 227-9585
CONSULTANT Traffic Study: The Traffic Group, 9900 Franklin Square Dr., Suite H, Baltimore, MD 21236, (410) 931-6600
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SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
Challenge:
Located in historic Havre de Grace along the Chesapeake Bay, this replacement LEED Silver school brings together existing middle and high school communities whose facilities had programmatic and safety issues. The high school was located at the edge of the historic city grid in two buildings bisected by a street, creating safety and security concerns. The high school stadium and athletic fields were located adjacent to the existing middle school.

Solution:
The objective was to create one academic community while also maintaining the identities of the middle and high school populations. The design of this school is inspired by natural features such as the Chesapeake Bay, maritime history of Havre de Grace, and the materials of the surrounding architecture and industrial railway bridges. Sustainability and environmental literacy were embedded into the design methodology with careful connections to the surrounding wetlands and bioretention areas, and a “boardwalk” connects the new school site and the surrounding neighborhood to the historic city grid and repurposed high school site. This pathway highlights the school’s purpose of serving the community and providing a safe and secure center for educational, cultural, and recreational activities. The boardwalk, along with building materials such as brick, stone, and steel, reflect the fabric of the historic maritime city.

The 250,000 sf building co-locates both the middle and high school students which allows for spatial efficiencies including shared spaces for dining, theater, media center, administration, and mechanical and electrical rooms and systems, reducing the overall footprint and cost of the building. Site efficiencies include shared amenities including the bus loop, parent drop-off, and service area. These efficiencies helped to mitigate the impact on several wetlands and remain clear of portions of the property within the 100-year floodplain.

This new school has soaring overhangs that shade the tall window walls from harmful glare. Its massing was simplified as much as possible to allow space for an expansive solar photovoltaic array. Over half of the roof has solar PV panels and the energy data is collected on a dashboard in the lobby and three other areas around the school to educate students about the conservation and harvesting of energy on site.

The vision of Harford County Public Schools is to “be a community of learners in which our public schools, families, public officials, businesses, community organizations, and other citizens work collaboratively to prepare all of our students to succeed academically and socially in a diverse, democratic, change-oriented, and global society.” Havre de Grace Middle / High School was designed to support that vision and allow for flexibility in instruction and learning, while it celebrates and tells the story of its place.

JURY COMMENTS (If applicable)

We're impressed by this project’s artful commitment to the parti. The diagonal path does triple duty: signifying entry, orienting public gathering spaces, and visually stitching building, site, and community together. Efforts in preservation and building performance add a high degree of value to the school and neighborhood.

MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Project PDF

IMAGES (Captions and Photographer Credit)
1. This 250,000 sf building co-locates both middle and high school students with shared academic and recreation spaces. © Sam Kittner/Kittner.com
2. This 250,000 sf building co-locates both middle and high school students with shared academic and recreation spaces. © Sam Kittner/Kittner.com
3. Lobby amphitheater seating. © Sam Kittner/Kittner.com
4. Dining plaza incorporates seating for students and natural bioretention areas. © Sam Kittner/Kittner.com
5. Natural daylighting permeates the auditorium lobby. © Sam Kittner/Kittner.com
6. A "boardwalk" on axis with the main entrance extends through the building and athletic fields to a crosswalk at the edge of the historic city grid.. © Sam Kittner/Kittner.com
7. The school is an integrated part of the community, enabling joint use of several amenities, including the auditorium. © Sam Kittner/Kittner.com
8. Aerial view with the Susquehanna River and the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay beyond. © Jim Kyroglou