Updated Nov. 29: This story has been updated to include a comment by Mt. Blue RSU 9 Superintendent Thomas Ward.
FARMINGTON – PDT Architects has been awarded an international award for their work on the Mt. Blue Campus renovation project.
The 2015 Lee J. Brockway Award for school renovation/addition projects is awarded by the Association for Learning Environments. The association’s annual competition and exhibition of international school architectural design is described as “the world’s largest juried exhibit recognizing exceptional planning and inspired architectural design of high quality learning environments.”
The project was led by Lyndon D. Keck, AIA, LEED AP, founding principal of PDT Architects, who was the principal-in-charge. Alan G. Kuniholm, AIA, LEED AP, also a principal with PDT, was the design principal.
Mt. Blue Campus in Farmington is a combined academic and career technical high school for 950 students that underwent a 3-year renovation/addition makeover that opened in 2013. The design integrates academic and technical disciplines in three learning communities in one building, giving students flexibility to follow broad interests through the curriculum.
Under the leadership of PDT, Superintendent Michael Cormier and consultant Frank Locker, the Futures Team developed an educational vision with three cornerstones: an interdisciplinary organizational model, real-world educational experiences, and attention to individual students. Cormier was succeeded by Superintendent Thomas Ward shortly before construction was completed.
The school district of 10 towns participated actively in planning and fundraising for the project, which was conceived as a community hub for civic meetings, performances, continuing education, displays, training, and athletic events. Public spaces in the school, including the Bjorn Auditorium, the Forum, the food court, the library, and the café, open off of a central “Main Street.”
The LEED for Schools-Certified building is extremely energy-efficient and takes advantage of its beautiful hilltop site to power solar and photovoltaic panels and 2 wind turbines. It is heated and cooled with a combination of geothermal heat pump and biomass boiler systems.
“This is an outstanding award and well deserved. My congratulations to Dr. Mike Cormier, Lyndon Keck and all involved in the designing and building of the Mt. Blue Campus. It was a collaborative effort that helped make this project truly a school of the future,” Ward said.
Consultants on the project include Frank Locker Educational Planning, Lincoln/Haney Engineering Associates, Bennett Engineering, TabbTech, Cavanaugh-Tocci Associates, J & M Lighting Design, TJM Consulting, and then-DeLuca-Hoffman Associates (then FST, now Stantec). The building was built by Wright-Ryan Construction of Portland.
For more information about the project, please click here.
“the world’s largest juried exhibit recognizing exceptional planning and inspired architectural design of high quality learning environments.”
I have to wonder, was there any thought on flat roofs in Maine? Did they provide all the buckets to catch the water from the leaky roof last winter? Did they take into account for all the wasted space? I am not saying the building doesn’t look nice, but nice looking buildings do not provide better education. Any award is in the eyes of the beholder. Maybe someone needs glasses.
The Mt Blue Campus is a wonderful environment for students and staff to learn and work in. I am proud to be a member of the faculty here. All construction has its bugs and the issues are addressed quickly. This is a true campus for all the communities to utilize.