The new academic pods are organized around highly flexible large group instruction rooms (LGIs), and have been designed to facilitate the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) programs. Engineering, digital media, physics, and robotics are on the ground floor, while upper levels connect mathematics, biology/chemistry, and earth sciences. Other pods facilitate the interactions of the humanities. LGIs are capable of accommodating up to 150 seats for lectures, seminars, science fairs, art gallery displays, and long-term student projects.
Model School, v2.0
The Town of Tewksbury faced multiple challenges related to its high school. The existing building was full of leaks and riddled with asbestos; it was not conducive to use by the larger community after school hours; and the school committee was concerned that its configuration was not suited to easing the transition from middle to high school, or to the latest thinking in interactive, engaged learning.
For SMMA, the new 218,781-square-foot Tewksbury Memorial High School represented an opportunity to update the award-winning and highly successful design of our Hudson High School project, delivering a "model school" for the Town of Tewksbury.
The new facility is divided into three principal areas: the health and physical education wing; the commons/auditorium/administrative/library area; and two stacked classrooms/instructional pods. The school’s main entry is clearly expressed as a glazed pavilion leading immediately into the crescent-shaped commons area, which acts as a hinge to link the various wings together. The health and physical education wing and commons/auditorium area are positioned so that after-school sports contests and other community-related events can take place while the classroom areas are secured.