HMFH Architects, Inc. designed the campus for the Bridge Boston Charter School located in Boston, Massachusetts.

Bridge Boston, a public charter school in Roxbury, MA, draws students from Boston’s most underserved communities. The school’s model provides full-service programming in addition to rigorous academics with the goal of removing all obstacles to students’ academic and developmental progress. The architectural team was charged with transforming a bunker-like building that formerly housed a community health center into a new home for the growing PK-8 school. A full renovation of an existing five-story building, a 3,000 sf addition, and stand-alone gym provide a range of spaces to meet the school’s mission to nurture the whole child.

A day-lit, two-story open atrium at the heart of the school is activated by student and staff use throughout the day and offers a welcoming space for families and visitors. The centrally located atrium houses a library/multi-purpose space with nooks for students and educators to work one-on-one, collaborate, and, with movable furniture, also houses all-school performances. Designed to support the school’s wrap-around services and social-emotional based curriculum, there are a range of small group rooms and support spaces that build upon the rigorous academic program.

An array of windows with soft blue frames enlivens and humanizes the scale of the formerly windowless and monolithic brick exterior. New terraces cut into the hillside create a welcoming entrance area for parking, pickup, and drop-off as well as access to a new gymnasium and adjacent play areas.

The design ensures that students and families feel safe and supported. Visually connected spaces, carefully integrated acoustics, plentiful natural light and calming colors and material choice help transform the formerly austere space into a vibrant school community where students can seek refuge, thrive, and learn.

Architect: HMFH Architects, Inc.
Design Team: Project Director – Laura Wernick, FAIA, Project Manager – Chin Lin, AIA, Project Architect – Melissa Greene, AIA, Gaétan Jacques, James Liebman, AIA
Contractor: W.T. Rich Company, Inc.
Photography: Ed Wonsek