The Portsmouth Abbey School Board of Regents is proud to announce the largest single initiative in the School's history - a new academic center for the sciences, which will secure the academic future of Portsmouth Abbey School as a school that continues to deliver an exceptional education in the sciences and humanities.
The state-of-the-art science education facility will be annexed to the east end of the Burden Classroom Building, extending from the Holy Lawn north toward the football field and track. Design and construction plans have been completed by Architerra, an architecture, community design, and development advisory firm in Boston, dedicated to sustainable design and smart growth. The new building will include seven laboratories, seven classrooms, faculty offices, a multi-purpose seminar room, and a multi-story science & humanities commons that will serve as the crossroads of the two disciplines.
The wood and steel-framed structure will complement the existing Belluschi architecture on campus and adhere to the highly efficient low-emissions green standards that began with the building of St. Brigid's House in 2007. Its eco-friendly components will meet LEED Gold design specifications, and its flexible-use interior will ensure that the School can remain abreast of the rapidly-changing academic landscape in the sciences.
The School has contracted with A/Z Corporation for the construction of the building. A/Z offers an impressive depth and breadth of construction services, spanning from non-profits to corporate, government, and healthcare facilities. Their portfolio of completed products includes a significant focus on academic science and research buildings; their work can be found on college campuses across the Northeast. Over the summer, they will begin pre-construction services and site preparation and construction will begin in earnest in the fall.
Beginning this fall, we will update you with information on our fundraising efforts, naming opportunities and how you can support the project directly. You will also see increased media regarding the project, including a dedicated website, print publications, social media and more. We will ensure that our community is kept well informed of the progress and changes happening on campus and look forward to sharing more information with you in September. If you have any questions about the project, please do not hesitate to contact the Portsmouth Abbey School Office of Communications: communications@portsmouthabbey.org.