Design for Education

Margaret C. Ferguson Greenhouses Wellesley College

Thu, 8 Nov 2012 10:50:30 -0500

Part of the Wellesley Science Center, the Margaret C. Ferguson Greenhouses are a group of fifteen large greenhouses portraying a range of climatic conditions, from desert to tropical rain forest. The facility is open to the public as well as the college, and receives frequent tours of large groups of people. This project is a 2000 SF addition to the existing complex of greenhouses to provide a new entrance, office, meeting room, and exhibit areas for these groups of people, as well as administrative offices and support space. The project was designed to respect massing and organization of existing greenhouses, and maintain existing rhythm of greenhouses and courtyard spaces. The entrance is designed as an integral part of the gardens, incorporating a brick wall, redwood pergola on which wisteria is planted, redwood gates, and a copper clad canopy. The building itself is modeled after the greenhouse structures, with a brick base, but rather than a glass superstructure, it is a wood-framed structure with timber trusses and clad in standing seam copper walls and roof, with panel widths similar in dimension and design to the greenhouse glazing system

Renovations to the President's House Wellesley College

Thu, 4 Oct 2012 10:50:12 -0400

Built in 1854, the President’s House is the oldest structure on Wellesley College’s historic campus, overlooking Lake Waban. The wood frame structure was built for the College’s Founder, and has since been the residence of the College President.

With the installation of their new President, Diana Chapman Walsh, the College took the opportunity to accomplish an extensive series of interior and exterior renovations. Handicapped access to the first floor was provided by regrading the site, and creating an exterior terrace adjacent to the front entrance. A first floor accessible Toilet Room is fully code compliant, yet from all outward appearances designed as the typical powder room one would expect in such a residence. The “grab bars” are integrated as mahogany caps on painted wood wainscot, consistent with wood detailing prevalent in the house. Vanities are marble with turned wood legs, open below for required wheelchair tolerances.

Improvements to lighting were an important aspect of the renovations. The first floor renovations include extensive gallery lighting, so that the College’s Davis Museum can maintain an on-going exhibition of works in the public spaces of the house. French door draperies were removed and replaced with interior wood shutters so that the living and dining rooms could open up to the natural light and views out to Lake Waban.

The upper floors of the building were extensively renovated for the Walshes, providing new bath and dressing rooms, as well as private living areas and guest suites. Exterior renovations included window replacement, flashing and roofing repairs

Renovations to Founders Hall Wellesley College

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:37:19 -0400

The first classroom building of the Academic Quad, Founders Hall was designed by the Philadelphia firm of Day and Klauder. Built in 1918, Founders Hall originally included 27 classrooms, 2 study halls and 35 offices. Today Founders Hall has 17 classrooms and 102 offices.
Reduction of the teaching load from 5 classes to 4 per faculty member has created an increased demand for larger classrooms. At the same time, many small seminars for under 10 students are scheduled in 30 student classrooms, because of a shortage in seminar rooms. The expansion of academic offices in Founders has created overcrowding and a variety of local problems throughout the building.
To accomplish the renovations with a minimum amount of disruption, a two-summer phasing plan allowed for “testing” of some of the proposed improvements between phases. With new electric service in place and an elevator available for use, building-wide renovations were completed.

The second phase of the renovations of Founders Hall was building-wide. The successful test designs of the first phase were carried out throughout the entire building in the second summer of construction. The renovations brought user friendly educational technologies into the classroom, while restoring the rich historical quality of the building.
Although minor alterations to portions of the building have occurred over the years, most building systems date to original construction, and are the focus of these renovations. These include Heating, Ventilation, and Electrical systems, all in need of building-wide improvements.

Sloan School of Management Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mon, 4 Dec 2006 10:50:41 -0500

The first phase of renovations involved 4500 square feet of
existing office space, which was re-planned to meet new tenant
needs. The work included new partitions, carpet and ceilings;
new and relocated lighting and power distribution to meet
the new partition layout; new sprinkler head locations to suit
new plan; and new and relocated fan coil units for heating and
cooling. Door hardware was replaced with lever handles to
conform with handicapped accessibility requirements as well as
existing fire alarm horn/lights.

The second phase of renovations included the construction
of custom casework for the entrance lobby. Mailbins were
designed for the central distribution of Sloan School of
Management information to students. Another of our major
roles was to develop a sign system that was both
graphically eye-catching and flexible to the frequent changes in
department personnel.

Department of Admissions Harvard Medical School

Tue, 13 Jun 2006 13:51:44 -0400

This renovation to the Medical School’s historic Building A included
furnishings and fit out for the Department of Admissions.