Cambridge, MA – HMFH Architects recently announced that it has completed the new $24 million, 105,000 square-foot Boston Renaissance Charter Public School (BRCPS) in Hyde Park and the 82,000 square-foot Rashi School in Dedham, Massachusetts.
Located on six acres in the Hyde Park section of Boston, Boston Renaissance Charter Public School (BRCPS) is a mix of renovated buildings and new construction and is home to the largest elementary school in Boston, serving 1,100 students from 10 city neighborhoods from pre-kindergarten to sixth grade.
HMFH’s design for the school included the renovation of an existing, three-story mill building and warehouse, as well as a new 20,000 square-foot addition that connects the two buildings. The mill building is now a state-of-the-art classroom facility, and the warehouse building houses a multimedia center, as well as an interconnected complex of gymnasium, cafeteria, music classrooms and dance studios that can be transformed into a single, all-school performance space. The connecting addition contains a new administrative wing, K1 wing and support facilities.
“This building is the realization of a dream to build an educational facility that will better meet the needs of our students, and help fulfill our mission as a center for academic achievement and community and family engagement,” said Dr. Roger Harris, the school’s superintendent, in a statement for a recent ribbon-cutting event.
BRCPC is committed to providing a vibrant educational experience for Boston children. In addition to its rigorous academic curriculum, the school offers enrichment activities that include dance, fine arts, music, physical education and technology.
The project was built by the Suffolk Construction’s specialized education construction group, Suffolk Education, in conjunction with Janey Construction Management & Consulting.
The Rashi School is a Reform Jewish Independent School and home to 300 students in grades K-8. Relocated from Newton to a 166-acre multigenerational campus shared with Hebrew SeniorLife’s NewBridge on the Charles community, the new Rashi School was designed for high performance sustainability and is expected to earn LEED Silver Certification for Schools. The new building features modern classrooms with interactive white boards, wireless internet, and abundant daylight. In addition, students now enjoy dedicated science, music and art classrooms, along with a multi-use media center and gymnasium.
The building’s layout is a reflection of the school’s mission to knit academic achievement with community involvement and service. A central corridor connects the two academic wings with the non-academic spaces. These shared spaces, including the gym, auditorium, Beit Midrash—a room dedicated to prayer and religious study–and dining commons are used daily by students and are made available to the larger community, including NewBridge residents, for special events. Outdoors, the school boasts sports fields, two playgrounds, outdoor classroom and assembly space.
“We are thrilled with our new school. We now have a first-rate facility in which to provide the very best secular and Jewish education for children and families in the Greater Boston area,” said Dr. Matthew King, Head of the Rashi School.
Founded in1986, Rashi is the only Reform Jewish independent school in New England and one of only 17 in North America and Israel. Construction was provided by Suffolk Education