North Branford, CT On October 28th, 2021 local leaders, board of education members, and citizens gathered for the ground breaking celebration for the new North Branford High School.
The ceremony marked the beginning of the multi-phase construction of a 106,100 s/f building that will stand on the land where a former portion of the school once stood. The new $66 million school will accommodate 524 students.
Designed by Quisenberry Arcari Malik (QA+M Architecture), the school will include amenities tailored to the town’s growing technology education and career track. Learning and teaching environments suited for engineering, culinary arts, and music are included. There will also be an outdoor social and learning commons, media center, gym, and cafeteria.
Despite challenges presented by the pandemic, QA+M Architecture collaborated with the town and board of education to achieve approvals and reimbursement through the Connecticut Office of School Construction Grants & Review program.
Construction services are being provided by Gilbane Building Company. Consulting partners on the project include RZ Design Associates (structural and MEP engineer), To Design (landscape architect), Benesch (civil engineer), and D’Agostino & Associates (technology and security).
The project is on schedule with completion in December 2023.
“This new school not only addresses growth needs, but also fosters hands-on and exploratory learning. It supports the curriculum as well as extracurricular activities, stated QA+M principal Rusty Malik. “Located on the same site as the North Branford Intermediate School, the High School works to architecturally unify the site into one cohesive campus. The new facility will incorporate a variety of flexible educational spaces to accommodate the ever changing needs of a 21st century learning environment. Through close collaboration with the administration, educators, and town officials, this new facility will be the model for future education developments within the Town, geared to meeting the needs of generations of students to come.”