Inclusivity in Athletics

Cotting School

Cotting School is a private non-profit school that serves the needs of students with a broad spectrum of learning and communication disabilities, physical challenges and complex medical conditions. The 25,000 SF Campus Center addition provides desperately needed space for Cotting’s athletic and academic programs and serves as a social hub for the school’s 120 students drawn from 70 cities and towns in the greater Boston area.
Presentation Mode
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Visible to travelers on Route 2, the glassy new addition was sited to connect two existing dead-end corridors to provide easy access for students with mobility issues. The space provides both daylight and views of the surrounding natural landscape. The roof is gently sloped to provide the optimal angle for future solar panels. Inside, the finish palette creates an upbeat environment, using fresh vibrant hues found in the outdoors.

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The new gym, bowling lanes, fitness center and adaptive climbing wall give students opportunities to engage with peers in a safe and stimulating setting unavailable to them outside of school or in their home communities.

The Campus Center is a one-of-a-kind resource for the entire Cotting community. We were able to seamlessly integrate this new space into our existing programs, and it is wonderful to see our students thrive in a new environment, whether they are exploring creativity in art class, cheering on the Falcons basketball team or gathering together for a celebratory event.

Bridget Irish, President, Cotting School
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In addition to the various athletic programs, the new space includes visual and performing arts rooms designed to nurture students’ creativity, promote self-expression, and foster the development of art appreciation.

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Bridging indoor and outdoor, the new addition encloses a peaceful contemplative garden that connects to both the climbing wall and the existing medical clinic. With extensive collaboration, Cotting School's faculty and staff, ensured each space was designed to be as inclusive as possible. As an example, the design team met with visual cognition staff to discuss color and pattern, and how they could be used to help students better navigate spaces while minimizing any negative cognitive impacts.

The new campus center serves Cotting’s community of students and alumni with athletic and arts spaces designed for all - embodying the school’s creed “Once a Falcon, Always a Falcon!"

Yunbin Park, AIA, KIRA, LEED AP BD+C
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Decorated with a custom abstract pattern that recalls forest, mountains and sky, the adaptive climbing wall includes various routes for students with different physical challenges, including those in wheelchairs, to participate.

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Photography: Andy Caulfield Photography

Project
Campus Center Athletics Addition at Cotting School
Location
Lexington, MA
Size
25,300 SF
Awards
2022 BSA/AIA K-12 Design Award
2022 ABC Massachusetts Chapter Excellence in Construction Award
2022 ENR, New England Regional, Best Project in K-12 Education
2022 CMAA New England Project Achievement Award, Building Renovation Project less than 30M

Inclusivity in Athletics

Cotting School

Project
Campus Center Athletics Addition at Cotting School
Location
Lexington, MA
Size
25,300 SF
Awards
2022 BSA/AIA K-12 Design Award
2022 ABC Massachusetts Chapter Excellence in Construction Award
2022 ENR, New England Regional, Best Project in K-12 Education
2022 CMAA New England Project Achievement Award, Building Renovation Project less than 30M
Cotting School is a private non-profit school that serves the needs of students with a broad spectrum of learning and communication disabilities, physical challenges and complex medical conditions. The 25,000 SF Campus Center addition provides desperately needed space for Cotting’s athletic and academic programs and serves as a social hub for the school’s 120 students drawn from 70 cities and towns in the greater Boston area.
Presentation Mode
Image
01CampusCenterAthleticsAddition_AndyCaulfield.jpg

Visible to travelers on Route 2, the glassy new addition was sited to connect two existing dead-end corridors to provide easy access for students with mobility issues. The space provides both daylight and views of the surrounding natural landscape. The roof is gently sloped to provide the optimal angle for future solar panels. Inside, the finish palette creates an upbeat environment, using fresh vibrant hues found in the outdoors.

Image
02CampusCenterAthleticsAddition_AndyCaulfield
Image
AC_Cotting_09_w1600px

The new gym, bowling lanes, fitness center and adaptive climbing wall give students opportunities to engage with peers in a safe and stimulating setting unavailable to them outside of school or in their home communities.

The Campus Center is a one-of-a-kind resource for the entire Cotting community. We were able to seamlessly integrate this new space into our existing programs, and it is wonderful to see our students thrive in a new environment, whether they are exploring creativity in art class, cheering on the Falcons basketball team or gathering together for a celebratory event.

Bridget Irish, President, Cotting School
Image
AC_Cotting_82_w1600px
Image
AC_Cotting_31_w1600px

In addition to the various athletic programs, the new space includes visual and performing arts rooms designed to nurture students’ creativity, promote self-expression, and foster the development of art appreciation.

Image
AC_Cotting_26_w1600px
Image
ac_cotting_20alt_w1600px

Bridging indoor and outdoor, the new addition encloses a peaceful contemplative garden that connects to both the climbing wall and the existing medical clinic. With extensive collaboration, Cotting School's faculty and staff, ensured each space was designed to be as inclusive as possible. As an example, the design team met with visual cognition staff to discuss color and pattern, and how they could be used to help students better navigate spaces while minimizing any negative cognitive impacts.

The new campus center serves Cotting’s community of students and alumni with athletic and arts spaces designed for all - embodying the school’s creed “Once a Falcon, Always a Falcon!"

Yunbin Park, AIA, KIRA, LEED AP BD+C
Image
AC_Cotting_83C_w1600px

Decorated with a custom abstract pattern that recalls forest, mountains and sky, the adaptive climbing wall includes various routes for students with different physical challenges, including those in wheelchairs, to participate.

Image
AC_Cotting_67_w1600px
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AC_Cotting_40_w1600px
Image
03campuscenterathleticsaddition_andycaulfield

Photography: Andy Caulfield Photography

Inclusivity in Athletics / Cotting School
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