Signer Harris Architects: Projects: St. Ann's Home

St. Ann’s Home

Methuen, MA

In construction

29,000 sf

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Goals

Design a new multi-purpose building for an independent school for troubled children, housing classrooms, dormitory, gymnasium, and an outpatient counseling center that supports the mission of the Home, providing a great place for children.

Challenges

Maximize a specified budget to provide ample usable space for essential programs and needs.
Develop a distinct sense of physical and emotional warmth in an otherwise institutional campus environment.
Design efficiently in order to meet a critical timeline and minimize costs.

Design Response

Worked collaboratively with the general contractor from conceptual design through construction documents to provide benchmark estimates and synchronize value-engineering and the design process, eliminating painful last-minute reductions; the final budget was within .01% of the original budget.
Developed an L-shaped plan that situates the majority of the building on an existing lower lot, while allowing the entry and lobby close to the existing building, uniting upper and lower portions of the campus and greatly minimizing earthwork retention costs.
Crafted a design that responds to the existing context while providing a contemporary environment for the unique charitable work being done by the institution and uplifting the spirit of the entire St. Ann's community.
Assembled a palette of exterior and interior finishes that provide the warmth of wood in key spaces, while blending into the existing context of brick buildings, and maximizing the economic efficiency of concrete masonry.
Introduced indoor and outdoor amphitheaters to provide communal spaces not found elsewhere on campus.

NOTE: Building on the success of the Adolescent Center, and the associated recruitment benefits, St. Ann's Home has requested that Signer Harris Architects provide conceptual designs for a renovation of the entire campus grounds and existing buildings.

Contractor

Barr and Barr Builders, Inc.

Consultants

Richard Burck Associates, Inc., Lim Consultants, AHA Consulting Engineers, Nitsch Engineering, McPhail Associates, Sullivan Code Group, Simpson, Gumpertz, and Heger

"It was one of the best projects I have worked on in more than 50 years in the business; the owner, the architect and the builder were in total cooperation."

–Arthur Lauretano, Barr & Barr Builders

"This project exceeded my expectations. The added design touches of the building are consistent with the above average quality of care we provide to our children."

–Denis Grandbois, President, St. Ann's Home and School

Photos: Signer Harris Architects