Clark Avenue Middle School

The City of Chelsea anticipated growing school enrollment but struggled with deteriorating conditions in its century-old middle school building. The 1908 Clark Avenue School occupied a vital, central location in its urban neighborhood, but the tight 1.4-acre site lacked outdoor space, forcing students to gather on crowded sidewalks before and after school to socialize. HMFH designed a modern, energy-efficient, and cost-effective facility to replace the existing building and introduce outdoor space to the site. The project was carefully planned and constructed in two phases while the old school remained in operation, just nine feet away from the new construction. Sustainable design measures—natural light, healthy materials, triple-pane windows, and a well-insulated exterior envelope—result in a significantly more energy-efficient building for the City, provide a healthy learning environment for students, and bring greater social equity to an underserved community. The new LEED Silver certified Morris H. Seigal Clark Avenue Middle School has a smaller footprint while providing expanded spaces for learning and gathering—both indoors and outdoors—that are flexible for a variety of uses.

Throughout the five floors, plentiful windows allow for abundant natural light and views into the school's surrounding neighborhood. Each floor provides multiple small group rooms located between classrooms where students can receive individual support while remaining close to their class; rooms designated for English Language Learner instruction are also located in easily accessible areas. As the drama-focused feeder school to Chelsea High School, the new building’s organization further supports and showcases student performances with venues that host performances both large and small. The library, combined auditorium and gymnasium, and other specialty and classroom spaces serve the community after hours, hosting a range of activities including adult education courses.

By reducing the school’s footprint, the design maximizes access to outdoor space, introducing student gardens as well as a plaza at the entry with tiered seating for outdoor performances and community movie nights. This space also welcomes students as they arrive in the morning and visitors from the community as they attend programs and events when classes are out.