Caleb Dustin Hunking School - Haverhill, MA

Haverhill, MA Copley Wolff Design Group celebrated the grand opening of the Caleb Dustin Hunking School. Copley Wolff was engaged by JCJ Architecture and school officials to design the exterior spaces and overall landscape to complement the 148,000 s/f school building and site.

In June 2014, Haverhill received approval to construct a new school to replace the original Caleb Dustin Hunking School, built in 1959. The newly redesigned school provides 1,005 students, from kindergarten to eighth grade, with a modern facility designed to further their learning, growth and development.

“It was an honor to be part of the team designated to reimagine the new Caleb Dustin Hunking School,” said John Copley, principal of Copley Wolff Design Group. 

“The exterior design of the school provides students with ample opportunity to experience the outdoors in a fun and safe atmosphere, while also providing an aesthetic that sets this school apart.”

Copley Wolff planned and designed the sports and recreational areas for the school, including a soccer field, baseball diamond, basketball courts, and a playground. In addition, the firm’s design includes pedestrian zones that emphasize and enhance the three main entry points to the school. These spaces serve as plazas for gathering during drop-off and pick-up activities.

To respond to existing topographical challenges, the Copley Wolff team designed a switchback ramp and stair feature that provides universal access to the play fields. A palette of shade trees, small flowering trees, shrubs and ornamental grasses was selected to create a rich, varied landscape. Expansive meadow areas and raingardens address infiltration while also creating opportunities for direct ecological education.

The completion of the Hunking School is a recent example of Copley Wolff’s extensive work with elementary and high schools throughout Massachusetts. Additional projects include the site design for the King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools and Community Complex in Cambridge; East Somerville Community School in Somerville; Taconic High School in Pittsfield; the Eliot School and Fenway High School in Boston; Putnam Vocational Technical Academy in Springfield; and the award-winning Methuen High School in Methuen.