North Middlesex Regional High School in Townsend, MA, was recognized with the top honor at the annual Association for Learning Environments’ (A4LE) Northeast Regional Conference—the Edward Kirkbride Award.

The conference, which took place in Cambridge, MA, also included two of SMMA’s school projects on tours for attendees: North Middlesex Regional High School and Bancroft Elementary School in Andover, MA. 

According to A4LE, the winner of the Kirkbride Award exceeds in how the project’s design responds to the function and identity of the community, how the learning environment supports a variety of learning styles and delivery methods, how the physical environment demonstrates appropriate use of materials, systems, and elements, and how the planning process ensures the final environment aligns with the vision and goals set during the planning phase. 

“These awards are especially exciting for us,” explains Lorraine Finnegan, Director of SMMA’s K-12 Market. “We always push excellent and efficient design throughout the planning process for the students.”

“We strive to lead our clients to be more progressive when it comes to student agency and project-based learning. Receiving several honorable A4LE recognitions in the past four years is affirmation that we are succeeding in our mission and continuing to advance our designs.”