New Fairfield, CT JCJ Architecture has been selected as architect for the expansion of the grades 3-5 Meeting House Hill School and for the new high school . The project calls for additions to Meeting House Hill School to accommodate the Consolidated Early Learning Academy (CELA) for pre- K-1 and for conversion of the existing facility to serve grades 2 through 5. The new CELA will encompass 44,000 s/f and the high school is planned to be 143,000 s/f of new construction.

Following an earlier study where the existing high school and CELA were deemed to require replacement, the project received funding from the state and was approved by voters in 2019. In proposing schemes for consideration by the town’s permanent building committee, JCJ Architecture focused on ways to maximize use of the site, address vehicular circulation, incorporate sustainable principles, create community and collaboration-oriented spaces, and organize programs to maximize building and educational efficiency.

JCJ Architecture will work alongside project management firm Colliers International to move the project through the planning and design process. The projects are anticipated to break ground in spring of 2021 with CELA slated for completion in 2022 and the new high school in 2023.

“As a firm that specializes in design for education, we embrace the opportunity to apply our expertise in projects at both early childhood and high school levels,” said Peter Bachmann, AIA, principal and institutional markets leader for JCJ Architecture. “We are particularly eager to engage with stakeholders around aspects of the project that will meet the needs of this unique community. We feel strongly that a collaborative planning and design process will help us to maximize the town’s investment while delivering efficient, flexible, and dynamic schools that support the creation of learning communities and 21^st century teaching and learning.”

Rendering courtesy of JCJ Architecture