Cambridge, MA- ARC/ Architectural Resources Cambridge announced today that a dedication ceremony for the opening of the new, $5.7 million St. Martin’s House at Portsmouth Abbey School in Portsmouth, R.I., was held on Friday, Sept. 21.
Designed by ARC and constructed by Middletown, R.I.-based Advanced Building Concepts, the 27,000-square-foot St. Martin’s House is a student residence for boys containing 30 student beds and three faculty residence units organized in a central corridor style. A large common room and central study area have quickly become an important community space for the boys in St. Martin’s and neighboring dorms.
The shingle-style exterior and copper roof respects the local New England village vernacular and references the existing architectural style of the campus, and its placement opposite St. Brigid’s House, also designed by ARC and constructed in 2007, reinforces the concept of a “campus green” at the heart of the residential campus.
The new dormitory uses solar panels on the roof to provide anywhere from 60 percent to 100 percent of its hot water needs, and any excess hot water is used to offset the demands of the high-efficiency boiler and the campus laundry facility located in the building basement. Other sustainable features include a super-insulated building envelope that will reduce heating loads by up to 30 percent below required levels, water-efficient toilets and Energy Star appliances.
Construction began in July 2010, faculty moved in this summer and the dorm welcomed the first students at the start of the 2012-2013 academic year.
The afternoon dedication ceremony was well attended by both students and faculty. Following opening remarks by the school Headmaster, Dr. James DeVecchi, residents of St. Martin’s House spoke of the impact the new building has had on their daily lives. St. Martin’s Prefect and Sixth Former Gabe Miller spoke of the improvement in campus life surrounding the new residences and the campus green. Head house parent and member of the faculty Derek Gittus recounted how his life at the school has evolved to include a wife and family and now a true sense of “home” in St. Martin’s House. Samuel White, Class of ‘64, who is a member of the Portsmouth Abbey board of trustees and an architect, spoke eloquently of how the new dormitory creates its own sense of place within the Portsmouth Abbey context.
The ceremony concluded with the blessing of the dormitory by Abbot Matthew Stark, Portsmouth’s longest-serving superior. In keeping with Portsmouth’s tradition of naming residential houses for monastic saints, St. Martin’s House has been named in honor Abbot Matthew, whose baptismal name is Martin.
Philip Laird, AIA, LEED AP, who is President of ARC and served as Principal-in-Charge of the project, attended the ceremony along with Jan Taylor, AIA, LEED AP, who was Project Manager for the project.
About Portsmouth Abbey School:
Portsmouth Abbey School is a coeducational, Catholic Benedictine boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12. Founded in 1926 by the English Benedictine community, the school is located on a 500-acre campus along the picturesque shores of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay. The Portsmouth Abbey education is grounded in the Western intellectual tradition, from ancient Greece and Rome and continuing into this century. This classical curriculum is balanced by a focus on spirituality, athletics, the arts and fun. The school’s mission encompasses the importance of reverence for God and the human person, respect for learning and order, and responsibility for the shared experience of community life.
