Project Description
The redesign of Bristol County Agricultural High School’s campus reflects the school’s close ties to the natural environment and unique curriculum rooted in science and environmental education. A strategic expansion from 450 to 640 students required new construction, additions, and renovations to connect the school’s seven career technical education (CTE) programs – agricultural mechanics/diesel technology, animal science, arboriculture, environmental engineering, floriculture, landscape design & contracting, and natural resource management – with traditional academics.
The new campus is designed as a place of discovery where the new buildings showcase a wide range of highly sustainable building systems include heavy timber construction framing, solar panels, vegetated green roofs, composting toilets and other water conservation measures. With its emphasis on hands-on learning experiences and commitment to reduce energy use, carbon emissions, and water consumption, Bristol Aggie achieves distinct sustainability goals developed for each building through close collaboration with students, educators, and community members: the new Center for Science and the Environment (CSE) is a living-learning lab of flexible classrooms and technical lab spaces designed to achieve LEED Gold certification; the new Dairy Barn is net-zero energy ready, the renovation of Gilbert Hall, an academic building, is designed to achieve LEED Gold certification; and the Student Commons showcases its heavy timber structure as a low-carbon, high-performance construction alternative.
To strengthen the educational model of skills-based, hands-on learning, every aspect of Bristol Aggie’s campus is designed as a teaching tool. A one-of-a-kind indoor climbing structure enables arboriculture students to practice tree climbing techniques year-round, while a student-curated natural history museum in the CSE occupies a corridor to encourage students from different programs to interact with the exhibits as they pass by. In the new all-electric Dairy Barn, state-of-the-art robotic milking technology regulates the production schedule, and an observation lab allows students to easily monitor herd health and production levels.
Sited on 220 acres of working farmland rolling gently down to the Dighton River, Bristol Aggie has a strong connection to its natural environment. The campus design reinforces this connection, making the close ties between the school and the landscape evident across the campus that is bisected by a public road. A new pedestrian spine safely reconnects the campus and its many buildings with amphitheater-style outdoor seating used for dining, socializing and informal events; a grassy commons for gathering and socializing; and rooftop and outdoor academic spaces that support project-based learning and promote environmental stewardship.