Mansfield High School
Additional Info
Award Winner : Vanguard Modular Building Systems, LLC
Architectural Excellence : Mansfield, MA voted to build an addition to its high school on a main road near the town center. A brick façade with classic modern features was needed to blend with surroundings. Student population swelled & they needed to move fast to relieve overcrowding. They did not want to spend a large amount of money on an addition needed only until the population returned to normal. Because of tight site configurations & the need for 4 classrooms, the staging area for a conventional building would be too great. The project had to be completed over summer & ready for school in the fall. The flexibility of modular plus the quality of finishes available was the answer. The building was nestled under mature trees in the front courtyard without destroying its bucolic appearance. By reducing the standard construction footprint, the modular structure could be placed onto concrete pier foundations allowing existing drainage structures & wiring conduit to stay in place in the subsurface.
Cost Energy Effectiveness : The 4 HVAC units were all electric with programmable Thermostats and economizers for energy efficient operation.
The programmable thermostats provided scheduling features around the schools varied classroom schedules reducing the units’ demands when classes were not occupied.
The thin brick exterior was installed with caulked expansion joints at the mate-lines for easy relocation in the future. This brick feature provides a zero maintenance feature as does all exterior metal trim which will reduce the schools maintenance cost over the life of this structure.
The building has changed the minds of many in the community. Once seen as a short-term solution, now that the overall appearance and quality of construction can be examined up close, everyone is comfortable that this modular structure will remain a welcome addition to the high school for many years to come.
Design Firm Name : KBA Architects
Occupied Date : 9/28/2008
Production Start Date : 6/24/2008
Project Location City : Mansfield
Project Location State Name : MA
Technical Innovation : The modules once placed on site had a matching façade of red brick and mortar installed with a panelized system. The choice of the “Brickfast” system worked extremely well given the construction budget and time constraints and overjoyed the townspeople with how well the structure blended in with the adjacent high school.
The vinyl covered wallboard interiors, vinyl molding, clean efficient acoustical ceilings and vinyl composition tile, all made for quality materials with a long-term life expectancy with simple cleaning and maintenance requirements.
Classroom sizes of just under 800 square feet effortlessly handled the school system configuration of 24-30 seats. The smart boards were easily installed in every room using wire-ways provided from the factory, also serving the need of intercom, clocks and bells.
The self-contained units were fully heated and air conditioned. Teachers, students and townspeople alike were overall delighted with the quality of the end product.
Total Square Feet : 4480