NEW FAIRFIELD SCHOOLS, NEW FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT

a. Project Description: Responding to many years of district wide overcrowding, inadequate facilities and loss of academic accreditation, the town at New Fairfield implemented a $16,000,000 overall expansion program. The Elementary Schools were improved and a new Middle School was created related to the existing High School. It shares the swimming pool, library, auditorium and kitchen for reasons of economy, but the new Middle Scholl has a separate identity. Twenty-seven (27) standard classrooms, six (6) science labs, art, music and technology classrooms, gym and lockers, as well as office and staff facilities, round out the program. The entire Middle School complex and library was designed for future  technology systems, which have been implemented.

b. Special Challenges: Here also, special challenges included the need to emphasize both the identity and the separateness of the Middle School, which until then had a minor presence in the larger existing 9-12 High School. In order to reinforce this separate Middle School identity, the architects designed the site plan to provide completely separate entrances for the Middle School and the High School, as well as a community use entrance, each with its own parking, drop-off area, and safe circulation system. In addition, to strengthen it's visual identity, the entrance to the new Middle School was brought forward, emphasized, and celebrated by the new architecture. A special effort was also made to overcome the dreary existing complex. An Excellence of Design Award from the National School Board Association and a First Honor Award from the AIA attest to the quality of the Architectural solution.

c. Meeting the Educational Needs Again, as a first step in establishing a program for the project, the architects made a community-wide study of the school district's space needs and compared many different solutions. Once it was determined that an expanded 6, 7, 8 Middle School at the High School site was the best educational solution, the architects studied space utilization of the entire High School/Middle School complex in detail to arrive at the most efficient and separate scheme for the Middle School. The program was expanded beyond the needed classroom space to establish a "turf" for the younger Middle School children with its own identity. Careful planning went into providing for technology in all the new classrooms as well as technology education facilities.

d. Cost Benefit Studies: Districtwide, twelve (12) options were studied for cost effectiveness. The best solution was implemented. In addition, careful cost benefit studies were made of each building system as well as a life cycle cost analyses.

e. Project Facts:

1) District: New Fairfield Public Schools
2) Occupancy: February/March 1995
3) Grade Level: Districtwide K through 12, New Middle School 6, 7, 8
4) Capacity: MS - 600; HS - 800
5) Site Size: 100 Acres±
6) Gross Area: Districtwide - 450,000 New MS - 96,000 SF
7) Cost: Districtwide - $16,000,000 New MS - $12,000,000
8) Technology Provisions: Provided for Districtwide Program
9) The project was completed on time and under budget.

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