City of Cambridge
King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools + Community Complex
Project
King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools + Community Complex
Client
City of Cambridge
Location
Cambridge, MA
Completion
2019
Size
273,000 GSF
Certification
Net Zero, LEED Platinum
Category
K-12 Education, Civic Realm
Partner Firm
Arrowstreet, Inc.
A NET-ZERO COMMUNITY
The King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools and Community Complex serves as a neighborhood anchor on Cambridge Street and reflects the City’s commitment to creating a sustainable and resilient community. The project carefully balances the sense of welcome to all while providing Cambridge’s youngest citizens a safe and inspiring learning environment. The complex is many things to many people – a school, daycare, public library, public pools, school administration, and community center. The branch library and pools are prominently placed to send a strong signal to all to engage in their community resource and claim it as their own.
The complex is set in a series of green and open spaces programmed with five playgrounds to accommodate all ages and abilities.
The students, families, and faculty of their schools deserve every opportunity to experience the excitement that comes with intellectual discovery - and this new facility offers so many new avenues for that type of exploration.
Dr. Kenneth Salim, Former Superintendent of Cambridge Public Schools
The project sets a new standard for school design and high-performing buildings through the creation of a 21st century learning lab. The project is 100% electric resulting in both a carbon and emissions-free building. The school and community complex is currently the only school to achieve both Net Zero Emissions and LEED v4 Platinum in Massachusetts. It is the second LEED v4 Schools Platinum building in the country.
To work and go to school inside a Net Zero school allows us to truly live out our values and commitment to social justice -- and our responsibility to our community and the environment.
Darrell Williams, Principal, King Open School
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Many Community meetings, like the one above, ensure a wide reach of community members are able to give input
Physical models are the best tools for helping stakeholders visualize options and engage in design
Virtual Reality help clients visualize new library and school spaces
Open studio sessions with physical models facilitate direct engagement and opportunities for feedback
Public meetings ensure a wide reach of community members are able to engage and participate in the design process
A detailed model is brought to a community meeting as the design process comes to a close
Awards + Recognition
2023 Urban Land Institute Americas Awards for Excellence Finalist
2023 Urban Libraries Council Top Innovator in Health and Wellness Award (Valente Library)
2022 National AIA COTE Top Ten Award
2022 National AIA Educational Facilities Design Excellence Award
2022 American School & University William W. Caudill Citation
2022 BSA Harleston Parker Medal People's Choice Award
2022 IFLA Green Library Award Finalist
2022 Learning by Design Magazine Educational Facilities Design Award Honorable Mention
2021 National AIA/ALA Library Building Excellence Award (Valente Library)
2021 AIA New England Design Merit Award
2021 BSLA Design Merit Award
2021 Chicago Athenaeum Green Good Design Award for Green Architecture
2021 IIDA New England Humanity of Design Award
2021 Metropolis Planet Positive Northeast Region Education Award
2020 Architect's Newspaper AN 'Best Of' Design Green Building Award Honorable Mention
2020 Architect's Newspaper AN 'Best Of' Design Institutional Interior Award Honorable Mention
2020 Architect's Newspaper AN 'Best Of' Design Interior Lighting Award Editor's Picks
2020 BSA Design Excellence Honor Award
2020 BSA Sustainable Design Honor Award
2020 Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award
2020 Congress for New Urbanism Charter Award for Block, Building, and Street
2020 Engineering News Record New England Project of the Year
2020 Engineering News Record New England Best K-12 Education Project
2020 IES Boston Section Illumination Merit Award for Energy and Environmental Design
2019 USGBC Massachusetts Green Building of the Year
Project Consultants
Structural Engineer | LeMessurier Consultants, Inc.
Mechanical / Electrical Engineer | Garcia Galuska Desousa Consulting Engineers Inc.
Civil Engineer | Nitsch Engineering
Landscape Architect | Copley Wolff Design Group
Lighting Consultant | Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design
Acoustical Engineer | Acentech
AV Consultant | Acentech
Photographer | Robert Benson