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
| May 25, 2011
Low Impact Development: Managing Stormwater Runoff
Earn 1.0 AIA/CES HSW/SD learning units by studying this article and successfully passing the online exam.
| May 25, 2011
Register today for BD+C’s June 8th webinar on restoration and reconstruction projects
Based on new and award-winning building projects, this webinar presents our “expert faculty” to examine the key issues affecting project owners, designers and contractors in case studies ranging from gut renovations and adaptive reuses to restorations and retrofits.
| May 25, 2011
Hotel offers water beds on a grand scale
A semi-submerged resort hotel is the newest project from Giancarlo Zema, a Rome-based architect known for his organic maritime designs. The hotel spans one kilometer and has both land and sea portions.
| May 25, 2011
Smithsonian building $45 million green lab
Thanks to a $45 million federal appropriation to the Smithsonian Institution, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Md., has broken ground on what is expected to be one of the most energy-efficient laboratories in the country. The 69,000-sf lab is targeting LEED Gold and is expected to use 37% less energy and emit 37% less carbon dioxide than a similar building.
| May 25, 2011
World’s tallest building now available in smaller size
Emaar Properties teamed up with LEGO to create a miniature version of the Burj Khalifa as part of the LEGO Architecture series. Currently, the LEGO Burj Khalifa is available only in Dubai, but come June 1, 2011, it will be available worldwide.
