Stoughton High School Breaks Ground

The new Stoughton High School construction project is officially underway after a ground-breaking ceremony in June.  DRA Architects joined state and local officials, students, project team members and community members to celebrate the construction start of the $123 million facility.

The new 220,000 square foot school will be located behind the existing High School roughly where the current tennis courts and track are located.  The school is organized into three major parts – a three story academic wing to the North, a two-story wing housing the gymnasium and auditorium to the South, and a two-story central lobby/connector which will include the administration area, the Student Commons (cafeteria) and Learning Commons (library).  The Performing Arts Complex and the Gymnasium will be state-of-the-art and the centerpiece of the new school for the whole community to enjoy.

The interior layout features a very open plan that will promote the values of collaboration and the notion that “learning happens everywhere.”  An open-style cafeteria will act as a student commons strategically located at the heart of the school, adjacent to the main entry. Similarly, the academic classrooms are organized around open, multi-purpose collaboration areas.  Smaller scale collaboration spaces occur at the intersections of the main academic corridors, giving many opportunities and flexibility for different educational activities.

The exterior of the new High School is meant to complement Stoughton’s other major civic buildings including the Town Hall, Clapp Library, and Stoughton’s train station. The exterior is detailed acknowledging traditional elements and details that are expressed in contemporary materials and methods.

The building design includes key efficient mechanical and electrical systems that will qualify the building for a LEED Silver Certification.

“DRA is most excited about how collaborative a process Superintendent Rizzo and Principal Miller facilitated with their faculty,” said Scot Woodin, AIA, Principal with DRA. “This project will set a new benchmark for integrating the educational program into the design process.”

The Stoughton High School project is scheduled for completion for the 2019-20 school year. Consigli Construction is the construction manager. Compass Management is the OPM.