Horace Mann School
The Oldest Public Day School for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing in the U.S.
The Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HMS) is the oldest public day school for the deaf and hard of hearing in the United States. Machado Silvetti assisted the City of Boston with an initial study of three existing school buildings to assess their potential as a temporary (5-10 year) swing space for HMS. Through a rigorous evaluation and presentation, the study determined the Edwards School in Charlestown, MA would best serve the needs of HMS and BPS future flexibility.
Machado Silvetti, in collaboration with Boston Public Facilities, Boston Public Schools, Horace Mann administration, the community, and a team of consultants, has provided programming through construction documents as the Architect of Record. The project is set to begin construction in Spring 2023.
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Client: Boston Public Schools
Location: Charlestown, MA
Year: 2021-Present
Status: Construction in Progress
Site & Building Upgrades
The substantial renovation of the three-story 1930s Georgian Revival style school requires extensive aesthetic upgrades and functional modifications to meet accessibility codes and deaf design guidelines. General building upgrades include a new roof, mechanical cooling and ventilation, and updated finishes throughout. Accessible design elements include new interior and exterior ramps, stairwell modifications, and an elevator core retrofitted to the existing masonry structure.
Wayfinding
Machado Silvetti’s design implemented new wayfinding graphics in public zones and programmatic strategies utilizing Deaf Space Principles. Four color-coded stair cores with super-graphics extend into hallway space to create clear visual markers in long, repeating corridors.
Deaf Design Elements
Other deaf design elements include new classroom and hallway monitors with a visual public address system, green screens for ASL publishing, acoustic baffles, and flexible furniture arrangements. Currently the project is out for bid with an expected substantial completion in Spring 2024. Upon completion the school will house K-12 students for the Horace Mann School and Kindergarten students of the Charlestown Public School.
“This proposal moves us closer to earning the trust of our community and providing our students the learning environments they deserve.”
— Brenda Cassellius, BPS Superintendent
Related Media
Horace Mann School Project Story
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