The Franciscan Hospital for Children (FHFC) unveiled the new Kennedy Day School recently at a ribbon cutting ceremony. Built by Nauset Construction and designed by architectural firm Drummey Rosane Anderson, Inc., the 21,000 square foot addition was adjoined to the existing building, adding active classrooms and administrative space to the facility, which has served children with a variety of disabilities for over 60 years.
The $6.5 million fast-track, urban design-build projectwas completed in just over 16 months in a highly sensitive, occupied and operational medical environment.
Constructed to blend seamlessly with the existing structure, this new two-story, handicapped-friendly facility adjoins the hospital and features ten additional classrooms, a vocational skills center, a sensory-motor suite, culinary arts kitchens, an assistive technology lab and office space. From the specially-cushioned, sheet-vinyl flooring used to minimize injury in the case of a fall; to the lift track systems used to facilitate the movement of children throughout the space; new, innovative technologies allow these children to experience learning like any other child while tending to their special needs. Wide hallways, slip-resistant flooring, automatic doors, interior handrails and the addition of an oversized elevator provide for a safe and easy passage in and around the school and adjacent hospital. BD+C
Related Stories
| Jun 12, 2013
‘Talking’ Braille maps help the visual impaired
Talking pen technology, combined with tactile maps, allows blind people to more easily make their way around BART stations in the Bay Area.
| Jun 11, 2013
Music/dance building supports sweet harmony [2013 Building Team Award winner]
A LEED Gold project enhances a busy Chicago neighborhood, meeting ambitious criteria for acoustical design and adaptability.
| Jun 11, 2013
Vertical urban campus fills a tall order [2013 Building Team Award winner]
Roosevelt University builds a 32-story tower to satisfy students’ needs for housing, instruction, and recreation.
| Jun 11, 2013
Building a better box: High-bay lab aims for net-zero [2013 Building Team Award winner]
Building Team cooperation and expertise help Georgia Tech create a LEED Platinum building for energy science.
| Jun 11, 2013
Finnish elevator technology could facilitate supertall building design
KONE Corporation has announced a new elevator technology that could make it possible for supertall buildings to reach new heights by eliminating several problems of existing elevator technology. The firm's new UltraRope hoisting system uses a rope with a carbon-fiber core and high-friction coating, rather than conventional steel rope.
| Jun 10, 2013
Lake Washington STEM school combines modular and site-built construction to meet ambitious schedule
When the Lake Washington School District outside Seattle needed a new high school built on an ambitious permitting and construction schedule of seven months, modular construction proved to be an ideal solution.
| Jun 7, 2013
Must see: Building façade made of massive concrete drain pipes
Looking to create a unique atmosphere using natural materials for the Prahran Hotel pub near Melbourne, local architect Techné Architects cleverly incorporated a series of concrete sewer pipes into the building's main façade.
| Jun 7, 2013
40 Under 40 retrospective: Where are they now?
Every month we’ll be catching up with past 40 Under 40 honorees to see what they’ve been up to since winning the award. This month we focus on a construction manager and a healthcare designer.
| Jun 7, 2013
First look: University of Utah's ‘teaching hospital for law’
The University of Utah broke ground on its cutting-edge College of Law building, which will facilitate new approaches to legal education based on more hands-on learning and skills training.
| Jun 7, 2013
First look: Austin breaks ground on 'light-filled' Central Library
The design scheme by Lake|Flato and Shepley Bulfinch incorporates reading "porches" and a light-filled, six-story atrium.
