BPS West Roxbury Educational Complex Study
The study of renovating an existing 1970s building into an exemplary school to achieve the highest standards of educational vision, sustainability, and architectural image.
The Feasibility Study for the West Roxbury Educational Complex (WREC) studies the viability of reuse, renovation, and expansion of an existing 1970s building to house an Exam School (grades 7-12) for the Boston Public Schools.
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Client: Boston Public Facilities Department / Boston Public Schools
Location: West Roxbury, Boston, MA
Year: Feb. 2023
Status: Study Completed
Existing Conditions
The WREC is an existing unused high school complex located on a 14-acre site in the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. The degraded existing building and sensitive wetlands site contain both technical and programmatic challenges and opportunities.
Proposed option for renovation
The design proposes two building additions, a new high-performance thermal envelope, and the transformation and enclosure of two existing exterior courtyards into interior light-filled spaces to house new flexible common areas for the school. Teams and grades are organized into clusters for collaboration, with access to pull-out spaces, teacher planning space, and state-of-the-art STEM, athletic, and arts facilities.
A Model Sustainable School
BPS aspires for the WREC to be a model school within Boston’s Green New Deal initiative, with the goal of attaining LEED Platinum certification. Highly efficient active and passive systems are proposed to optimize natural light and ventilation. Sustainable strategies are opportunities to integrate design with the high school curriculum, bringing hands-on learning through green roofs, photovoltaic panels, and the existing wetlands.