Located on the campus of Quinebaug Valley Community College in Danielson, CT, Quinebaug Middle College was founded as an alternative public high school with a mission to provide an innovative educational environment for non-traditional learners. This mission includes fully integrating the high school academic experience with the overall college community. Amenta Emma was hired to design and implement this vision through the creation of a 48,000-square-foot building addition to serve as the home to the high school during the standard school day and as an academic and common space for the college during non-high-school hours.
While still referencing the scale and massing of the existing campus buildings, the design solution uses form, material, and connections to the site to create an open, collaborative, and distinct expression. Building features for this LEED Silver project include a terra cotta rain-screen exterior wall assembly and high-performance glazing systems that provide visual connections through the building to exterior landscaped common spaces and the wooded site beyond.
Additional enhancements to the overall campus include expansion of the library and a full renovation and expansion of the existing cafeteria into a student center-type gathering space.