Project Type: Planning, Educational Programming, Master Planning
Size: 55 acres, 72 buildings
Independent Schools
Miss Porter’s School – Master Plan
Farmington, CT
In May 2011, Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, CT commissioned DRA to develop a campus master plan. Miss Porter’s is a college preparatory boarding school for 330 ninth through twelfth grade girls. The campus sits on 55 acres of land and consists of 72 buildings representing 460,000 SF of buildings. The buildings include 10 academic, 5 administrative, and 2 storage facilities. The buildings vary in age from 1730 to 2007 (with a majority in a Historic District) and vary in their construction, materials and conditions.
DRA engaged the community through interactive workshops, meetings, and on-campus observations. Recognizing the importance of all facility users, we met with school administration, trustees, students and alumni to hear the diverse needs of the community and gather pertinent information. The robustness of our process and the subsequent recommendations enabled administration to make the most informed decisions.
Our assessment and recommendations covered all aspects of school and campus:
- Education needs for the 21st century
- Vehicular & pedestrian circulation
- Student pickup and drop off
- Mechanical conditions & improvements
- Accessibility
- Security
- Energy modeling
- Building envelope
- Traffic
- Civil / Site improvements
Projects resulting from the master plan:
- Olin Arts and Science Center – HVAC replacement
- Hacker Theater – HVAC replacement
- Dance Barn Study
- Grist Mill building – adaptive reuse as Admissions Office
Client Testimonial
“DRA’s work and focus on communication, the integrity and expertise that they bring to the table instantly won over the many constituencies with whom they worked over the course of the planning process.
Their openness to know who we were first, their willingness to listen to the unique, quirky, and often times long-standing traditions of Miss Porter’s School, made us come together as a team that was collaborative, thoughtful and ultimately informed an extraordinary outcome in the planning work that they completed for us.”
Kate Windsor Head of School, Miss Porter’s School
