The design of the new Sandy Hook Elementary School on the site of the 2012 Newtown, Conn., school shooting features enhanced security measures—some subtle and others more prominent. Given the setting, this project is bound to get much attention and could influence school security standards on other projects.
Design firm Svigals + Partners used various measures to tighten security while avoiding heavy-handed features. The school is sited far back from the road and surrounding wooded areas, giving teachers and administrators more time to spot potential intruders. A rain garden spanning the school façade creates a buffer between the drop off point and school entrance.
Layered security doors and entry areas offer additional protection. Visitors must be screened through an intercom system before entering a security vestibule, where they will have to be checked in by school personnel.
A set of doors at each of the school wings can be automatically closed to block an intruder from reaching classroom areas. During a lockdown emergency, any doors that are propped open will be triggered electronically to swing shut. Classroom doors have dead bolts that automatically lock when closed, but release when a student or teacher needs to leave the room. The exterior features ample fenestration for daylighting and avoids a prison-like look.
The re-design of Dickinson Drive brings traffic in at the very north and center of the site, allowing a clear panoramic view as you enter.
Several compelling themes surfaced amidst discussions of the qualities of Newtown and Sandy Hook. One was the view of the Town from a distance, buildings and spires appearing above an undulating horizon of trees. The other was how the geology of water courses created the “sandy hook” after which the area was named.
From the main central lobby, vistas of nature appear between the classroom wings connecting the inside and outside with tree-like columns. (More on the design.)
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jun 18, 2015
New document addresses school safety and security
In an effort to balance security and fire safety features within codes, standards and planning, NFPA hosted a two-day workshop, “School Safety, Codes and Security”, last December. The findings are now available in an NFPA report.
K-12 Schools | May 12, 2015
Bjarke Ingels completes Danish high school sports and arts expansion
By placing parts of the new building beneath the football fields, the students are able to walk through the sunken sports hall at the center of the school´s courtyard to the classrooms, cafeteria, and out to the main entrance at street level.
Sponsored | | May 11, 2015
Fire-rated glass separation helps merge new and old pools into a single connected aquatics center
Clear fire-rated glazing helps create a light-filled, safe space for student athletes and spectators in Niles, Illinois.
K-12 Schools | Apr 28, 2015
How to create an environment where students want to succeed
According to a 2014 Gallup poll, our school system not only kills children’s creativity, but also takes its toll on their motivation, writes Perkins+Will's Tinka Rogic.
K-12 Schools | Mar 22, 2015
Budget woes may lead to moratorium on school projects in Alaska
The bill would suspend 70% cost reimbursement from state to localities.
K-12 Schools | Mar 18, 2015
The new Vo-Tech: Transforming vocational workshops into 21st century learning labs
It’s no secret: the way students learn today is different. But facilities are adapting to the increasing demands of technology, collaborative learning, and project-based instruction.
Retail Centers | Mar 10, 2015
Retrofit projects give dying malls new purpose
Approximately one-third of the country’s 1,200 enclosed malls are dead or dying. The good news is that a sizable portion of that building stock is being repurposed.
K-12 Schools | Mar 2, 2015
BD+C special report: What it takes to build 21st-century schools
How the latest design, construction, and teaching concepts are being implemented in the next generation of America’s schools.
Codes and Standards | Mar 2, 2015
Nevada moves to suspend prevailing wage rules on school projects
The Nevada Senate approved a bill that would suspend prevailing wage rules on school projects.
K-12 Schools | Mar 1, 2015
Are energy management systems too complex for school facility staffs?
When school districts demand the latest and greatest, they need to think about how those choices will impact the district’s facilities employees.